Schools

Strongsville School Board Says No to Binding Arbitration

Meanwhile, mediator calls for negotiating session Wednesday

 

The Strongsville Board of Education will not participate in binding arbitration, as requested by the striking teachers' union, because it does not want to delegate responsibility for decisions to an outside party.

“We believe we have a responsibility to our community and voters to stay the course,” School Board President David Frazee said in a news release. “In binding arbitration, we would be delegating to an out-of-town third party the authority to spend Strongsville taxpayer dollars and concede management rights, which our board thinks is not appropriate and is not agreeable to us.”

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Instead, Frazee said the federal mediator overseeing negotiations has scheduled a session for 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

"It's disappointing," Strongsville Education Association President Tracy Linscott said about the board's decision. "It could have ended this."

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The SEA on Tuesday afternoon delivered a new proposal to the Board of Education, seeking to take unresolved contract issues to an arbitrator.

Linscott said teachers would return to their classrooms this week if the board agreed to arbitration. 

Under the plan, the teachers and board would continue to negotiate, but would take any unsettled issues to an arbitrator sometime between June 30 and Aug. 30, who would decide them.

Linscott said there are several non-economic issues to be resolved, including class sizes, seniority and teacher planning periods during the school day.

The financial issues have blocked a settlement, though. The Board of Education wants to continue a freeze in step increases and for the teachers to pick up more of their health insurance costs.

The SEA wants to restore step increases and allow teachers to jump a step to make up for the last frozen year.

"If they're confident of everything they have on the table, they had nothing to worry about," Linscott said. "I guess we'll see what happens with the mediator tomorrow."

Frazee reiterated that the board's contract proposal reflects what the district can afford.

"We have a last best offer on the table," he said. "It is both fair and sustainable in terms of today’s economic realities."

Recent Stories:

Union Says Strongsville Teachers' Salaries Aren't Out of Line

Police to Crack Down on Daytime Curfew Diring Strike

Teachers' Union Criticizes Cost of Keeping Schools Open

Students Trickle Out of District During Strike

'No Progress' After 11-Hour Negotiating Session

Teachers Union Files 3rd Unfair Labor Charge Against School Board

Strongsville Teachers' Strike Week 4: No End in Sight?

For other stories on the teachers' strike, click here.

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