Wissahickon SD: Contractors Could Replace Striking Staff

Wissahickon Education Alliance members packed the house during the Monday night Wissahickon School Board meeting regarding the WEA-Support Staff contract negotiations.

In a statement from the school board read by district solicitor Scott Wolpert, negotiations with WEA-S began in January, but the union has "refused to meet face-to-face other than on one occasion that preceded a Fact Finding process that took place in May 2012."

"The only way to work these types of issues out is not to come to a Board demonstration at a public meeting but to come to the bargaining table," according to the statement from the district.

As an alternative to the bargaining unit, the school board unanimously passed Resolution W-10-12, which authorizes Fox Rothschild to solicit proposals for outside vendors to replace the approximately 280 support staff members of the WEA-S.

, said, "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."

, expressed "disappointment" that the school board that they would "threaten and intimidate their employees with privatization."

Ambler resident Elizabeth Kunzier Wahl said she doesn't understand why the school board won't "come to the table" and negotiate with the support staff union. She cited that at the previous Community Input Group meeting, it was determined that the most important part of the district is the teachers and the staff.

Frank Deruosi, the co-vice president of WEA, said the board is "consumed by the bottom line" and cutting every possible penny.

Christine DeLaurentis, an Ambler resident, said her son is currently going through the IEP process, and said that there will be subcontractors working with him. She said the adults at her child's school are "rockstars" and she is concerned that the district is thinking about bringing in people "that do not know our kids."

On Oct. 18, the members of the WEA-S voted to authorize a strike, the district expects the support staff union to strike sometime this week.

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Read more about the ongoing contract negotiations

Wissahickon Holds Fact Finding Hearing for WEA Negotiations

Wissahickon Superintendent Letter on WEA Negotiations

Letter: Working Towards Compromise

Letter to The Editor: Questions to the Wissahickon School Board

Co-President of WEA Expresses Disappointment Towards Wissahickon School Board

Board Statement: Union Needs to Come to the Bargaining Table