WEA Co-President Calls Contract Negotiations a Fight Between Union, District

Editor's Note: This statement was read at the Monday night Wissahickon School Board meeting by Co-President of the Wissahickon Education Alliance, Anne Marie McDowell.

Good evening,

As you are aware, on Oct. 18, the members of the Wissahickon Education Alliance overwhelmingly authorized a vote to strike. That evening it became clear to the members that this School Board does not intent to treat its employees with the respect that each one of them deserves.

Rather than agree to vote on the State's neutral compromise again, you chose to threaten your employees by placing a resolution on tonight's agenda which if approved would subcontract out every single support staff position, approximately 230 members' jobs, three hours before our meeting on the 18th. The employees' response should come as no surprise to you.

For whatever reason, YOU have decided to turn this into a fight by paying a small fortune to hire someone known for causing strikes. YOUR behaviors leave us no choice but to present you with a strike notice in the event you decide NOT to change your position.

Do you really consider threatening staff a measure of "bargaining in good faith?" You have stated on your website that we are $1.8 million dollars apart, which is completely inaccurate. If those figures were accurate then I assume that what you are really asking for is that the support staff give back all benefits including salary over the next three years.

Will you stop at nothing to achieve your goals? What is next if you do not get your way?

Fortunately, for us, these behaviors were just as we predicted they would be so we are holding the line on our position until some of you on this Board stand up to those making the wrong choices.

Ann Marie McDowell, WEA Co-President