PASD and Teachers Reach Contract Deal, District Says

Teachers and representatives of the Phoenixville Area School District have reached a tentative contract two year agreement according to an announcement from the PASD Administration.

If approved by both sides the new contract would run from July First (2014) until June 30, 2016.  The contract would "catch up" the current contract which was reached last summer.  That contract was a short term deal reached after teachers in the district worked several years without a new contract in place.

No details were released and according to a district statement the public will get its first look at the tentative deal only on the same night that the board is scheduled to take a ratification vote.  A district spokesperson tells Patch that is standard operating procedure and that the details of contracts are never released prior to the union rank and file and board members having a chance to read and vote on them.

Here is the full statement released Tuesday by the PASD:

The Phoenixville Area School District Board of School Directors (“Board”) is pleased to announce that a tentative collective bargaining agreement has been reached between the District and the Phoenixville Area Education Association (“PAEA”).  The tentative agreement, if ratified by both parties, will be effective from July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2016.  The PAEA membership is expected to hold a ratification vote on January 23, 2014, with the Board voting on the agreement later that evening at the regularly scheduled Board meeting.

Details concerning the major terms of the new agreement will be released by the Board at that meeting.  The board followed the same procedure when voting on the last contract, angering some members of the public who wanted more time to see and possibly comment on the contract agreement.

Source: Pheonixeville.Patch.com