CLEVELAND, Ohio-- Over 200 teachers in the Garfield Heights Teachers’ Association unanimously voted to authorize a 10-day strike notice on Monday.
The decision comes after nearly five months of negotiations between the teachers’ association, the district’s administration and the board of education.
Following subsequent negotiations, the teachers’ association was “not left with many options,” according to a recent press release from the union.
“After progress in bargaining slowed, GHTA requested a federal mediator, who, on September 15, sent dates for mediation. GHTA has accepted all the dates, but we are still waiting on management to respond after several requests for a response, and the first date on the list of available dates has already passed,” said GHTA Vice President Tim Duhanich in a recent statement. “Our membership is ready for management to address the needs of our students and staff. It is our genuine hope that the Board’s team will commit to working with us in negotiating a contract that ensures safety, stability, and success in Garfield Heights City Schools.”
Garfield Heights City Schools have since responded to the strike notice. Here is their complete statement:
“The top priority of the Garfield Heights City Schools is to uphold our mission to prepare students to pursue their dreams and give back as engaged citizens and future leaders. That is why the Board of Education and district administration were disappointed in the surprising maneuver late this past Friday afternoon when GHTA voted to authorize a 10-day notice to strike. Such a tactic does nothing to fulfill our community-oriented mission statement and disrupts the overall learning process. Since negotiations began in April 2022 - despite a summer break when GHTA refused to negotiate - the negotiating teams have met on no fewer than ten separate occasions and have reached tentative agreements on more than 12 articles impacting the current contract.
Some of these issues include language around teacher evaluations, employee discipline, and student discipline. Additionally, the Board’s negotiating team has compromised on several important issues, such as increasing the financial package, recognizing staff committed to long-term employment with the district, and adjusting the pay associated with period substitutions, indicating a willingness to continue discussions. These points, in addition to the fact that the Board’s negotiating team recently reached a contract agreement with our classified union (OAPSE), find GHTA’s decision to authorize a 10-day notice as a mere distraction, one that hurts students and does nothing to collaboratively seek compromise. The Garfield Heights City Schools is dedicated to the negotiating process and re-asserts its willingness to reach a fair contract with all parties while operating within the financial realities of the district.”
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