Keystone Oaks board, teachers’ union avoid strike

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

An eleventh-hour agreement with the school district averted a strike Thursday by the Keystone Oaks Education Association.

The union, which represents 160 teachers, counselors and nurses, intended to strike at 12:01 a.m. if a final attempt to reach a contract agreement failed. A tentative agreement was reached early Thursday after a 14-hour bargaining session and after both parties agreed to extend the deadline to 1 a.m., officials said.

The teachers, who had been working without a new contract since June 30, and the district agreed to a one-year extension of the existing contract. No more details of the agreement were released.

Kevin Gallagher, president of the union, said the groups had hoped to agree on a five-year contract. Once the current contract extension is ratified by both parties, they’ll meet every two weeks until they reach a long-term agreement.

“We obviously did not want to strike,” he said. “We’re not pleased that we couldn’t come to terms with a five-year agreement. We are pleased that we avoided a work stoppage.”

The union and the school board are expected to ratify the agreement by April 11.

Classes were in session Thursday. There will be no classes Friday because of a previously scheduled teacher in-service day.

“We are pleased that the district and KOEA were able to come to an agreement that is sustainable, fair and, above all else, puts the students first,” board President Matt Cesario said in a statement. “We look forward to working with the teachers, counselors and nurses to continue to provide a high quality education for all Keystone Oaks students.”