The Bellwood-Antis School District announced that Thursday evening the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers Service Employees International Union Local 1250 (NCFO) accepted the fact-finder’s report prepared by Bill Caldwell, who was appointed by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board.
The Bellwood-Antis School Board accepted the fact-finder’s report on October 8.
With the union membership’s actions and acceptance of the documentsreport, they thereby effectively averted a strike and reduced that concern at this point. The union did take a strike vote and was prepared to strike if needed.
“We had a few members who were discontented with the contract, but the majority rules,” said Union President Mary Gunsallus. “We discussed it, took a vote, and now we found it to be very acceptable.”
Gunsallus said that the union didn’t accept the report by the designated date of Oct. 10 because it wanted to do more research and get their figures right. The union wanted to see how the proposal involved all the employees and not just a handful. It wanted to have the proper answers before any decision was made.
“It’s a pretty good contract and it’s settled, and we’re relieved that it’s settled,” said Gunsallus. “Now we can move along with business; we have a good working relationship here and we’re going to keep it going.”
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Rodney Kuhns commended the employees and Gunsallus because not all of the employees agreed with the contract, but they made the compromises and realized that the school district is headed in the right direction.
“Even though it wasn’t an unanimous vote, it was at least a majority vote that thought we were headed in the right direction,” said Kuhns. “And for another three years we’re willing to come back and work on correcting or improving the things that allegedly we didn’t get done this time.”
Kuhns added that the union should be commended for recognizing that the school district’s relationship is continuous and on-going, and that it is time now after 10 months to put that relationship back together.
Wage and health care were the main issues concerning the union’s neglect to accept the fact-finder on Oct. 10, but after reviewing the issues they decided to accept.
Gunsallus added, “We will probably continue to deal with wage and health care, because that seems to be the question everywhere today, and that’s something that will probably be addressed in every contract we have.”
The acceptance of the report will cost the school district $35,000 per year. The pay raise is roughly five percent each year for the next three years.
“I’m pleased that we were able to get together with the union, and I think the state needs to be commended as well as the Labor Board for getting involved and helping us with it, and the independent third party evaluation of both sides,” stated Kuhns.
He added, “The Fact-Finder stretched us a little further than we wanted to be stretched, but the same goes for the union as well.”
July 1 will be the beginning of the pay raises for the school district’s union employees of the NCFO.
