HERMITAGE SCHOOLS On the last day of strike, teachers won't be picketing
June 5 was to be graduation day for seniors but it will be delayed as a result of the strike.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- Striking teachers will clean up their picket sites when they go home today.
Although the strike by the Hermitage Education Association technically runs one more day, there will be no picketing Friday, said Paul Estock, chief negotiator for the teachers.
Friday was scheduled as a spring break holiday in the district on the 2001-02 calendar and schools were to be closed.
Staff and pupils will lose the second day of that spring break when they return to the classroom Monday under orders from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
The state directed that classes resume Monday to ensure that Hermitage can complete 180 days of classroom education by June 15.
The 165 teachers walked off their jobs a week ago today after negotiations failed to reach a new contract. Their old agreement expired July 1.
Estock said a strike was the only way to force the school board into the next phase of negotiations -- nonbinding arbitration -- as outlined by Act 88, the state law governing teacher negotiations.
What's next: The state is expected to move the talks into an arbitration quickly with a three-member panel (one selected by the school board; one selected by the teachers union; and the third, a neutral arbiter, to chair the panel) who will hear the last best offer from each side and them come up with a settlement recommendation.
Meanwhile, Hickory High School seniors don't know when their graduation will be held.
June 5 was to be graduation day but that will have to be delayed because of the strike. The state says the district can't hold graduation until after it completes 180 days of classroom education. A new graduation date hasn't been set.