Youngstown teachers agree to work through Sept. 30

YOUNGSTOWN

The leadership of the Youngstown Education Association, which represents city school teachers, has agreed that teachers will work under terms of their expired contract at least through Sept. 30, said Helen Matusick, a labor relations consultant with the Ohio Education Association, of which the YEA is an affiliate.

In 4 1/2 hours of negotiations late today at Choffin Career Center, which were facilitated by a federal mediator, the administration consented to the union’s request for an audit of the board of education’s self-funded heath care plan at union expense.

The board was asking the teachers to convert from contributing a percentage of salary toward their health care, as they do now, to contributing a percentage of the premium, but Matusick said teachers are concerned that the dollar amounts of future premiums are unknown.

Both sides characterized today’s talks as positive.

“Both sides are keeping students at the center of the focus. We want to make sure that school opens and that our students are getting what they need academically,” said Karen Green, assistant superintendent.

Neither Green, nor board lawyer Ted Roberts would discuss details of the issues in the negotiations.