Politics & Government

WCASD School Board Approves Hiring Lead Negotiator

Teacher Contract Discussions to Include Experienced Negotiator for District

Editor's Note: The Following Information comes courtesy of the West Chester Area School District.

The West Chester Area Board of School Directors voted on Monday night to approve the hiring of a lead contract negotiator. Jeffrey T. Sultanik, Esquire, of Fox Rothschild, L.L.P, has been selected to assist in the development of contract language and advise members of the School Board regarding other key elements of the upcoming teacher contract negotiations. Mr. Sultanik is very familiar with the current contract and has been advising the District on contract language since 2003.
 
Said Board President Vince Murphy, “The Board has a responsibility to negotiate contracts that are in the best interests of the district. A lead negotiator provides guidance & expertise needed to structure a labor contract that is pro-education, affordable and financially sustainable.”
 
The largest part of the District budget is in the area of salary and benefits. The current budget contains more than $90 million in salary and benefits for teachers. A lead negotiator can provide the necessary expertise required to find cost containment in labor contracts while allowing us to retain quality educators for our students.
 
Last November’s elections brought in six new members of the School Board. According to Superintendent Dr. Jim Scanlon, “With the new Board dealing with multiple critical issues at one time, the hiring of a negotiator to provide guidance and advice is a worthwhile step. Negotiations can be a very complicated process and it is important for the Board to engage a person who knows the law and the landscape of recent settlements that have taken place in our area.”
 
The District has a history of hiring a lead negotiator, and since 1993 there was only one instance (2009) during which the Board did not hire a negotiator to negotiate new contract language. In 1996 and 2006 contract extensions were agreed to and no negotiator was needed.
 
The negotiated contract under which teachers are currently working, in effect from July 1, 2009, will expire on June 30, 2012. The terms and length of the next teacher contract are to be worked out through negotiations in the coming months.


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