Television

homepage

 

 

PSEA commends Senator Mellow for his efforts to improve the collective bargaining process. While PSEA supports efforts to develop legislation to bring closure in contract negotiations between school employers and employees, our Association opposes the bill currently proposed by Senator Mellow. It does not solve the problems he's trying to address.

PSEA members have consistently reaffirmed our belief in the right to strike. We believe that binding arbitration as a means of settling a contract dispute is only acceptable when agreed to voluntarily by both sides.

Senator Mellow's bill would require that both sides submit to mandatory whole-package binding arbitration before the current contract has even expired. Neither side would receive enough time to bargain the issues. With such a short time frame, there would be little to deter a board from simply refusing to bargain, and forcing binding arbitration on the local employees.

It is important to note that the number of strikes has steadily decreased throughout the last several decades. During the 1970s, the average number of school employee strikes per year was 34, falling to 20 per year in the 1980s, and 15 a year in the 1990s. The average for years 2001 through 2005 was eight strikes per year.

It's also important to note that students receive the full 180 days of school no matter how long a strike lasts; and research shows student performance is not affected by strikes.

Strikes are difficult and unpleasant experiences, and will continue to be a last resort for our members when negotiations fail to reach a settlement. The best negotiated settlement is one that the parties work out themselves through discussion, joint problem solving, and compromise. For 95% of Pennsylvania school districts, this time-tested process works and has actually improved, as indicated by the drop in strikes over the past two decades.

PSEA President Jim Testerman.