Strike called after board rejects union pleas

Before a packed room mostly fiOOeG wiWh PePEeUs Rf Whe :issDhickon Education Alliance (Support) union, the Wissahickon School BRDUG hDPPeUeG Whe finDO nDiO inWR Whe FRffin WhDW OeG WR D sWUiNe EeinJ called.

The WEA came before the board at the Oct. 22 meeting to ask the board to reconsider a previously UeMeFWeG fDFW-finGinJ UeSRUW UeJDUGing terms for a new contract and for the board not to pass a resolution that would authorize the district to solicit vendors to provide subcontracted support services. The union finDOOy DsNeG WhDW Whe WwR siGes DJUee to a new contract, so as not to bring about a strike.

7he ERDUG UeMeFWeG Whe SOeD WR UeFRnsiGeU Whe fDFW-finGinJ UeSRUW, WROG uniRn UeSUesenWDWives iW hDG fiOeG unfair labor practices against them for refusal to bargain and passed the resolution to seek subcontracted vendors, causing the union to announce a strike will begin Monday, Oct. 29 beginning at 7 a.m., unless the board changes its position before then.

The contract between the WEA, the union for the district’s support staff, and the district expired June 30. Negotiations began in January, but an agreement has yet to be UeDFheG. 7his sSUinJ, D fDFW-finGeU issued a report, which the union acFeSWeG EuW Whe GisWUiFW UeMeFWeG.

Among those included in the WEA support staff are secretaries, classroom aides, bus drivers, custodians, maintenance personnel, lunch assistants, technical assistants, grounds personnel, security personnel and nursing assistants.

The strike will shut down busing operations, forcing parents to pick up and drop off their students on the way to and from work. Schools will open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. during the strike, while adults will be on hand to provide supervision for students during the extended time periods, according to the district.

Anne Marie McDowell and Joann Groark, WEA co-presidents, sent a