Labor Relations Hearing Scheduled for Moon Area School District, Teachers Union

Representatives from the and its teachers union are slated to appear on May 19 before the in Pittsburgh.

The Moon Area Education Association announced in February that it would pursue unfair labor charges against the school district through the labor relations board as a result of a year-long contract dispute. The union represents nearly 300 teachers, counselors and nurses in the district. 

Union spokesman Butch Santicola said the hearings before the labor relations board will likely last for several days and an outcome for the hearings may not be known for several weeks. 

"Our position is that we believe we have a contract," said Santicola, who described relations between the district and union as strained. He said the union has no plans to strike. 

In December, the union and district took part in two nonbinding arbitration hearings in an effort to resolve the impasse between the parties. Teachers voted to approve the arbitrator's contract proposal. The board

Because the school board did not formally vote on the arbitrator's proposal, the union contends the district is now in violation of labor regulations.

Union members have been working under terms of a contract that expired in June. The district and union have clashed over such issues as length of the workday and employee health care contributions. Teachers went on strike for 13 days in November. 

District solicitor Jack Cambest said a negotiating session between the two parties also is scheduled for next month. 

"The district believes that it has a defense against the unfair labor charges," Cambest said.