Hempfield impasse heads to fact-finding

Mar 10, 2010 — The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Richard Gazarik

Mar. 10, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- The Hempfield Area School District and one of its unions are headed for fact-finding in an effort to reach a new contract.

The Hempfield Area Education Support Personnel, which represents bus drivers, cafeteria workers, custodians, paraprofessionals, classroom and building aides, and assistant nurses, has been working without a contract since last summer. The union is part of the Pennsylvania State Education Association.

The two sides have been negotiating since then as the school board seeks concessions from the union to save about $2.5 million in annual operating costs.

The district has said if no agreement is reached, it will hire outside firms to perform the duties done by district employees. The school board has received a proposal from a bus company for student transportation (OOTC:STUXF) (TSX:STB) and is hiring a firm to manage the cafeteria.

The district is demanding a $2.10-an-hour reduction in wages and wants employees to pay 30 percent of their health care costs, said Gil Gall, a PSEA representative. Employees said it would cost $430 a month to provide health care for themselves and their families.

Bus drivers earn hourly wages between $14.33 and $17.46. Gall said the majority of drivers earn about $15 an hour.

The school district had been seeking cost reductions of $10 million over four years but has decreased the demand to $1 million a year, Gall said.

"It's still a considerable amount of money," he said. "We are not at an impasse. Our team believes the community does not support those kinds of wage cuts."

The union has stepped up its lobbying campaign by distributing flyers with the names and phone numbers of school directors. At Monday's school board meeting, union members stood in the lobby and passed out the flyers.

Gall said some employees' wages are "below the poverty level" and noted they work only when school is in session.

"We don't think (the cuts) are warranted by the financial condition of the district," Gall said. "There is no need to impose these types of wages on the employees of the district."

But the district noted it must pay $3.2 million this year in pension contributions, teachers salaries and health care costs.

Board President John Henry said the district has agreed to the union's request to submit to fact-finding. George DeCaro, director of human resources, said any recommendation from the fact-finding will be nonbinding.

Fact-finding is an independent investigation by a neutral third party who listens to each side's position. The fact finder issues a report that serves as the basis for a possible settlement.

The parties then vote to accept or reject the report, which remains confidential and is not subject to public disclosure. A second vote is held to confirm the initial vote. If either side changes its position, the report then can be made public.

The rejection of the report does not mean the two sides are at an impasse. They can continue negotiations in an effort to reach a contract. However, once an impasse is declared, the district could decide whether to pursue outsourcing of certain services.

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