POLAND SCHOOLS Teachers reject contract offer

The teachers union has worked without a contract since Sept. 1.
POLAND -- It's back to the bargaining table for Poland school teachers after they rejected a three-year contract proposal.
Dr. Robert Zorn, superintendent of schools, said today that the teachers turned down the district's offer, and the two sides will resume negotiating sessions with a mediator. Terms of the contract voted down were not disclosed.
Zorn referred further comment to Ted Roberts, the district's chief negotiator, who couldn't be reached this morning.
The for-and-against results of the teachers' vote isn't available.
Union officials couldn't be reached to comment this morning.
The teachers union, the Poland Education Association, which has about 135 members, has been working without a contract since Sept. 1, when a three-year deal expired.
That expired contract provided pay raises of 3 percent annually in the first two years, and 4 percent in the final year.
That deal also provided a retirement incentive of $12,500 for those retiring the first year they are eligible, $10,000 for those leaving in the second year of eligibility, and $7,500 for those leaving in the third year of eligibility.
The contract was overwhelmingly approved by teachers Aug. 30, 2000, a few days before class was to begin and after two other contract proposals were turned down by the union.