Pleasant Valley teachers and board agree on three-year contract

Pleasant Valley School Board and the teachers union have agreed on a three-year contract.

On Thursday the teachers voted to accept a contract that was the product of collective bargaining between the district and the union. At Thursday evening’s board meeting the board voted 6-2, with director Sue Kresge abstaining from the vote, to accept the agreement.

Directors Russell Gould and Robert Serfass voted against the contract.

Details of the contract will not be released until it is signed.

“The district is pleased that the negotiations with the professional staff has resulted in a new collective bargaining agreement,” said board President Len Peeters.

“While the board did not get everything it sought, it has settled this contract in a manner that it believes is fiscally responsible.

“Additionally, the new agreement allows for labor stability for a three-year period which, in the board’s view is long enough to allow the district to focus its energy on continuing to make this district the best it can be for our children and short enough to allow the board to return to the bargaining table to address changes that may become necessary as we proceed through the next few years.”

“The board wishes to thank the association negotiators for the respectful and professional manner in which these negotiations were conducted and we look forward to working together for the good of our entire community.”

Union President John Gesiskie thanked the board for approving the agreement.

Matthew Gruenloh, Uniserv representative for PSEA, was on hand for the board vote and commented after the meeting.

“I echo what Len said,” he said. “This was all handled very professionally. Both the teachers and the administration came together to work through their differences.”

Gruenloh added that the major sticking points in these economic times are usually heathcare and wages and that in this case he felt that the final agreement was fair for all involved.