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DALLAS TWP. — The Dallas School Board has filed an unfair labor practice complaint against its teachers due to an illegal strike, refusal to submit to mandatory arbitration, and issuing a date for a second unlawful strike, according to a news release from the school district.

The district is hoping to save $500,000 in what it says are salaries and benefits that union members will not have earned because they failed to work the required 185 days.

The board recently filed the complaint with state Department of Labor. It follows a school year marred by the month-long strike, failed negotiating attempts and heated public school board meetings.

“Unsuccessful attempts were made to secure clear guidance on the matter through requests for opinions made to the Pennsylvania State Employee Retirement Systems and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office,” the district’s release states. “Consequently, it is necessary for the Dallas School Board to take the matter before the Pennsylvania Labor Board in the form of an unfair labor practice.”

The districts’ teachers have worked without a contract since Aug. 31, 2015. Negotiations for a new contract began in 2014. Salary increases and health care payments are the main sticking points.

According to the unfair labor filing, there are seven days of instruction that teachers will not be able to fulfill before the school year ends June 30.

“The Dallas School Board and administration are extremely concerned about violating their fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers by paying and providing full salary and benefits to teachers who have failed to meet their contractual obligation,” the release says.

The board claims the union violated the Pennsylvania School Code and Act 88 when it extended a teachers strike beyond a state-mandated return date.

The union claims the board illegally changed the school calendar when the scheduled winter holiday break, from Dec. 23 to Jan. 2, was honored and when the tentative last day of school was changed from June 9 to June 26.

The school board also wants the union to rescind its latest strike notice, set for June 2, and prevent the union from issuing further strike notices for the 2016-17 school year.

Under Act 88, teachers can strike twice in one school year. The first strike must end in time for the district to complete a state-mandated 180 days of school by June 15, while a second strike must end in time to complete 180 days by June 30.

The Dallas School District’s 2016-17 academic year is now scheduled to end June 30, due to the combination of snow days and the strike.

The school board is also requesting the state Labor Board to order the union to stop refusing to bargain in good faith.

Dallas teachers were on strike Nov. 14 to Dec. 19, which exceeded the state Department of Education’s directive to return to class Dec. 13.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TTL-11152016-Dalllas-strike-3.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas teachers were on strike Nov. 14 to Dec. 19, which exceeded the state Department of Education’s directive to return to class Dec. 13.
District eyes $500G in savings

By Eileen Godin

[email protected]

Reach Eileen Godin at 570-991-6387 or on Twitter @TLNews.