Neshaminy School Teachers set strike for Monday, January 9
Classes in the Neshaminy School District will be cancelled effective Monday, January 9 as a result of a strike called by the NFT (Neshaminy Federation of Teachers). The NFT notified the school district Friday, January 6 of the impending work stoppage as the contract dispute between the union and the school board approaches the four year mark.
In response, the Neshaminy School Board instructed its attorney to suspend any further negotiation sessions with the NFT for the time being. Negotiation sessions had been scheduled for January 12 and 26.
Neshaminy School Teachers set strike for Monday, January 9
The NFT's 654 members had voted last year to authorize "the union leadership to call for a work stoppage" at a future time. Teachers have not received any raises since the last contract, almost four years ago, but according to both sides, the biggest issue in the negotiations is free health care. The most recent offer from the union did not include any payment toward their health care by the union membership.
Information on the work stoppage will be passed on to parents through the district’s automated phone-calling system and the district’s website, www.neshaminy.org. Also, the work stoppage will be discussed at Tuesday's school board meeting.
Neshaminy School Teachers set strike for Monday, January 9
Administrators, service professionals and bus drivers will all continue working during the impasse.
Neshaminy Kids' Club will staff most of the district’s elementary schools to provide daycare service for students during the strike. However, Albert Schweitzer Elementary and Walter Miller Elementary will be closed. Schweitzer students needing daycare should report to Pearl S. Buck Elementary. Students from Walter Miller Elementary needing daycare should report to Samuel Everitt Elementary.
Details on the fees for the daycare service are available on the district website, www.neshaminy.org. Currently, online registration is unavailable; however, district officials hope to have it up and running soon. Until online registration is available, parents must register their children in person Monday morning at the appropriate school.
Neshaminy High School seniors are advised to check the high school website for information about completion of their graduation projects. Some students are required to attend school as early as Wednesday to continue their work.
This is only the third teachers' strike in the school district's history. Prior work stoppages occurred from May 5 to May 14 in 1969 and from Oct. 27, 1980 to Jan. 26, 1981.
Neshaminy School Teachers set strike for Monday, January 9
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