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Public Relations > News: Contract Negotiations > Disparity On Salary Proposals Grinds Negotiations To A Halt In Souderton Area School District - September 1st, 2008
Disparity On Salary Proposals Grinds Negotiations To A Halt In Souderton Area School District - September 1st, 2008
Despite six hours of negotiations between the Souderton Area School Board and the Souderton Area Education Association, both parties remained far enough apart on salaries that the state mediator decided to end negotiations.
The teacher's union made salary demands with increases of 5.98%, 9.4%, 7.14% and 6.9% in each year of a four-year contract.
According to the School Board, the union's proposal will result in a 32.8% increase in payroll over four years, or an average of 8.2% per year for each year of the contact.
"In 30 years of negotiating, I know of no teacher union in the region that would even think of going on strike with an 8.2% per year demand on the table. It is truly unconscionable," stressed Jeffrey Sultanik, chief negotiator for the Souderton School Board.
At the time negotiations ceased, the School Board made concessions on its salary proposal which provided teachers with salary increases of 2.5% per year over three years.
While no new talks have been scheduled, the state mediator will be working with both parties individually over the days ahead.
School will NOT be held on Tuesday, September 2.
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