FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 8, 2011
CONTACT:
Heather Parkhurst
802.578.7729
or
Darren Allen
802.223.6375 (office)
802.839.8618 (cell)
BRISTOL – The members of the Addison Northeast Education Association yesterday called off their strike despite the boards’ decision to walk away from the negotiating table and impose working conditions for the current school year.
Teachers will begin a new round of negotiations for the 2011-2012 school year and beyond.
“We have been bitterly disappointed that the boards chose to end contract talks and impose working conditions,” said Heather Parkhurst, a Mount Abraham Union High School AP Calculus teacher who is the union’s chief negotiator. “While the boards’ decision left us with the legal option to strike, we are staying in our classrooms as we have throughout this process.”
Teachers had prepared a walkout that was to begin tomorrow. Members on Monday made it clear that they were gravely disappointed with the boards and their pattern of disingenuous negotiating.
“This is the option that gets us back to table to negotiate. The executive committee will be meeting soon to determine plans for negotiating for next year’s contract,” Parkhurst said. “This has been a very difficult process for everyone in this district.”
The boards walked away from contract negotiations Jan. 5 and imposed working conditions for the current year. Again last week, the boards made a take-it-or-leave-it offer of a three-year contract that became worse for teachers in each succeeding years.
Teachers will soon meet to negotiate with the boards over a contract to succeed the working conditions imposed by the boards after the previous contract expired more than eight months ago.
Teachers also expressed their gratitude for the outpouring of community support shown over the last two weeks. “We want to thank the hundreds of community members who showed their confidence in us and their schools,” Parkhurst said. “Their children are the reason we come to work everyday, and we are grateful to be entrusted with their education, and glad that they value the important work we do for the community’s future.”
