The South Middleton Education Association will be requesting fact finding through the PA Labor relations board (PLRB) during a meeting on January 15.
If fact finding is awarded, it's a 40-day process from beginning to end. The PLRB appoints a neutral third party to listen to presentations by both sides. Once the presentations have concluded, the fact finder makes recommendations for resolution. Once the recommendations are received, the parties have a chance to accept or reject them.
THE SMEA and the School Board started negotiations on December 22, 2011.
A tentative agreement set in September 2012, was rejected.
At the last negotiation session on December 19, the parties could not reach an agreement and were unable to resolve their differences.
The issues remaining are salary, employee contributions towards health care, employees' continuing ability to retain spouses on health insurance.
If fact finding is awarded, it's a 40-day process from beginning to end. The PLRB appoints a neutral third party to listen to presentations by both sides. Once the presentations have concluded, the fact finder makes recommendations for resolution. Once the recommendations are received, the parties have a chance to accept or reject them.
THE SMEA and the School Board started negotiations on December 22, 2011.
A tentative agreement set in September 2012, was rejected.
At the last negotiation session on December 19, the parties could not reach an agreement and were unable to resolve their differences.
The issues remaining are salary, employee contributions towards health care, employees' continuing ability to retain spouses on health insurance.