Sunday, April 28, 2013
New deal gives teachers step raises, but won't cost district extra money
The Strongsville School Board unanimously ratified a new contract for teachers, ending the eight-week-old strike. The vote Sunday morning follows approval of the contract Saturday evening by the 383-member Strongsville Education Association. "This is a great day for the school district, the city of Strongsville and, most importantly, the students who suffered and endured over these last eight weeks," School Board President David Frazee said. SEA President Tracy Linscott also said the deal is good for those involved. "I'm happy it's over," she said. The new contract, which is posted on the district's website, contains the step and column increases the SEA was looking for. But the money for those increases comes directly from deep cuts to …
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Strongsville Education Association says School Board's attorney is blocking contract talks
The Strongsville Education Association is calling on the five Strongsville School Board members to attend a negotiating session on Saturday. A news release from the SEA says the union will be at the North Eastern Ohio Education Association (NEOEA) office in Garfield Heights at noon on March 16. It is delivering invitations to the homes of David Frazee, Carl Naso, Jennifer Sinisgalli, Richard Micko and Ruth Brickley. The SEA says the board's attorney has refused to set up a session between the board members and union. “Either the Board of Education is lying to the public when they say they want to meet and negotiate, or their attorney is withholding information from the Board so as to hijack the process and prolong the strike," SEA …
Monday, March 4, 2013
Police, security officers keep order as students arrive for school
Lines of sign-carrying union members picketed in front of Strongsville schools this morning, the first day of a teachers' strike. Teachers at Strongsville High School walked back and forth across the entrance and exit driveways, some yelling "We love you, kids" as buses pulled in. Police Chief James Kobak said about 7 a.m. that no incidents had been reported, other than school driveways being blocked by strikers. Officers at the high school parted the strikers as traffic got heavier around 7, directing them to stand on either side of the driveway, but not to walk back and forth. At Center Middle School, strikers were more vocal, chanting and blowing whistles as Pearl Road traffic went by. The 383-member Strongsville Education …
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
David Frazee says he believes a work stoppage will happen
The Strongsville School District has issued a statement about teacher negotiations in which School Board President David Frazee says he now believes "a teacher union strike is inevitable." Frazee said in a phone interview that he had hoped negotiations would bring the two sides closer to an agreement, but "the progress we've been making has been just, well, none." "I honestly thought we'd have an 11th-hour settlement, but I now believe teachers want a strike," he said. "They're packing up their boxes (in classrooms)." On Tuesday, a representative of the Ohio Education Association also said it appears a strike is likely, saying board members have "dug their heels in" for a prolonged work stoppage. The School Board's statement, released …
Site includes answers to questions about how Strongsville students will be affected
The Strongsville Board of Education, which on Wednesday declared that a teachers' strike appears inevitable, has launched a web page called Negotiation News on the school district's website. The page includes a statement from the board and a link to the state treasurer's online "transparency project" that lists all teachers' salaries. For Strongsville teachers, the school board advises residents to add an extra 10.3 percent to the salary figure for benefits. It also has a Q&A page that answers some of the questions parents are asking about the potential strike, which will start Monday, March 4 unless a contract settlement is reached. The last scheduled negotiating session is set for Saturday morning. The items on the Q&A page include …
Monday, February 25, 2013
Absences of non-union employees won't be tolerated, resolution says
Strongsville school leaders are making it clear that if teachers strike March 4, other employees are expected to cross the picket lines and report to work. The School Board passed a resolution Thursday night that says in the event of a work stoppage, all other employee absences must be substantiated by written proof, and that unauthorized absence could lead to dismissal, disciplinary action and/or loss of pay and benefits. "It basically gives the superintendent authority to enforce our policies during a strike," Board President David Frazee said. "If you're going to take sick leave, you have to have a legitimate medical excuse -- that kind of thing." The strike resolution says unauthorized leave would include "individual and/or …
Friday, February 15, 2013
Union votes to authorize a work stoppage within the next few weeks
Strongsville teachers took a step toward a strike Friday by voting to authorize a walkout if a contract agreement isn't reached soon. The Strongsville Education Association overwhelmingly passed a strike authorization vote Friday at its general membership meeting. The action allows the association to issue a legal strike notice if it decides it is necessary. Teachers hinted at a strike Feb. 7 when several hundred staged a protest at a School Board meeting, all wearing buttons that said "I don't want to strike, but I will." A news release from the SEA said the vote was taken "because the Board of Education refuses to negotiate in good faith. The board continues to back their employees into a corner with tired negotiating tactics aimed …
Dan D
12:18 pm on Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Jenny Culler is entitled to her opinion ... no matter how skewed, delusional, Norma Rae-ish, and flawed it is. Maybe one day she will wake up ... BOE lost in this? There is no excuse for the teachers to behave in the manner they did. I feel sorry for anyone sending their kids back to these jackass'. Wake up and join the rest of us in the real world. more ›