Neshaminy Teachers Heading Back to Contract Talks Hopeful of Progress

LANGHORNE, Pa., Dec. 27, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders of Neshaminy public school teachers said today that they are hopeful of making progress in contract talks that resume Tuesday between the school district and the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers.

Negotiating teams for teachers and the district are scheduled to meet Tuesday evening for a bargaining session. The two sides are attempting to reach a new agreement for teachers, who have worked for the last two and one-half years under the terms of the contract that expired in July 2008.

"We think the goal of agreeing on a new contract is reachable," said NFT president Louise Boyd. "And we believe an agreement under which teachers and administrators work together is essential to the educational success of Neshaminy's children."

Boyd noted that the last negotiating session on Dec. 9 included detailed discussions of several issues that laid the groundwork for progress in the talks. "We will come to Tuesday's session ready to move ahead toward an agreement that benefits students, makes sense to taxpayers and is fair to teachers," she said, "and we are hopeful that the district brings the same commitment to the bargaining table."

Teachers have said repeatedly that they are prepared to bargain on all subjects, including healthcare. "However, successful bargaining requires both sides to be committed to the possibility of compromise," Boyd said. "The district must be willing to fully engage on all issues. Presenting an offer that remains essentially immovable for two years may be popular with editorial writers -- but that is not what it means to negotiate."

Boyd said Neshaminy teachers remain confident that they will be able to find common ground with school administrators, working together across the bargaining table.

As talks continue, the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers has launched a new website to expand opportunities for community discussion and access to information on local educational issues. The website is at www.NFTcommunity.com.

SOURCE The Neshaminy Federation of Teachers