PVEA notifies district of intent to strike Tuesday

The following information was provided by the Perkiomen Valley School District:

The Perkiomen Valley Education Association (PVEA) has given Superintendent Dr. Clifford L. Rogers notice of their intent to strike. This means that if there is no tentative agreement by 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 28, there will be no school for Perkiomen Valley’s 5,900 students beginning on Tuesday, March 1. State mediator William Cramer has directed the parties to attend a mediation session this weekend with hopes of producing an agreement between the PVEA and the School Board. The mediator has directed that the time and location of the session are confidential.

During this potential work stoppage, all school district classes will be cancelled. Decisions about school closures will be communicated our families and staff members via the AlertNow communications system, the district website at www.pvsd.org, and the PV Newsline at 610-489-8506, press 2.

Negotiations between the Perkiomen Valley Board of School Directors and the Perkiomen Valley Education Association (PVEA) have been ongoing since January 2010. The last contract expired on Aug. 31, 2010.

When contacted by phone this afternoon, PVEA spokesperson Garreth Heidt expressed optimism about this weekend's mediation session.

"We're hopeful with the stoppage looming we can get down to serious business and get this thing settled. We're hopeful we'll be able to get back to work. This stoppage is to move things along; we're at an impasse and have been for a while," Heidt said.

"I think we're very close; there's some minor things that need to be worked out," Heidt added.

The maximum duration of any strike in the state of Pennsylvania is determined by the Department of Education, and is based upon the school district’s calendar. It is not expected to last more than four school days. If there continues to be no settlement, the parties would be required to submit to mandatory, non-binding arbitration, that would, in the opinion of the Board, result in a similar recommendation to that of the independent Fact Finder.

According to School Board President Lynn Bigelow, "We are trying to balance the need for a fair contract with our teachers with our monetary limitations under Act 1 and the anticipated 20 percent reduction in state subsidies. We do NOT want to enter into an agreement that would severely restrict our ability to offer a fine educational program to our community. The Fact Finder's recommendations were fair and the PVEA's intransigence and refusal to bargain a resolution can't be explained. PVEA needs to accept our new economic reality in these very difficult times and not hurt our community by going on strike."