Mars teachers continue to rally through stagnant contract negotiations
ADAMS TWP — With teachers’ first day back at work scheduled Aug. 20 and students coming back Aug. 25, Mars Area School District will begin its academic year without a new teachers’ contract in place.
Until a contract is in place, Mars teachers said they will continue to be present before school board meetings, making sure board members see them as they rally for what they deem a fair contract.
“They seem to think they’re only negotiating with a few people who come into the room and that we’re speaking only for ourselves. But we’re representing all our members,” said Hollie Meckler, president of the Mars Area Education Association.
Since the teachers’ contract expired June 30, the teachers’ union has held rallies on July 28 and Tuesday, Aug. 11, with another one planned for next Tuesday’s general school board meeting on Aug. 18.
On July 28, almost 150 showed up to rally.
An hour before Tuesday evening’s board meeting, almost 70 teachers were again joined by family and community members. They wore red shirts and held signs with slogans such as “America needs teachers,” “Teachers made your future possible” and the word “teachers” pasted over a Superman logo.
“I look at these posters around here and all this lovely stuff on the wall. What good is it if you don’t pay these people to do what you ask them to do?” said Carolyn Frederick, a district resident and retired teacher. “Teachers (technically) work 40 hours a week. That’s what they get paid for. Do you know how much these people work all the time? Fifty-five hours, I would bet the average teacher works a week, with what they’re supposed to do.”
Issues between the district and the MAEA’s negotiating teams include what annual salary increases, health insurance coverage and the length of the overall contract should look like.
Mars Area School District still has updates from mid-June posted on its website that show the contract proposals from the two sides.
Mars Area School District offered a three-year contract that includes aggregate salary increases of 3.5% each year.
The MAEA proposed a five-year contract that includes aggregate salary increases by respective year of 6%, 5.5%, 5.5%, 5.25% and 5%.
Meanwhile, district representatives have asked for a fact-finding process with a neutral third party, according to district solicitor Mike Hnath. The two sides have not met for any collective bargaining sessions since the district called for fact finding. A hearing is scheduled for Aug. 19, Hnath said.
At the board’s Tuesday evening work session, teachers crammed into the board room while spilling out the back. Kevin Hagen, the board’s vice president, wore a red shirt in support of the teachers, while board member Joseph Joswiak, a retired Mars teacher, wore a red baseball jersey.
During the meeting, Joswiak urged the two sides to meet in the middle, claiming the district’s budgetary reserves could cover the cost of such an increase in salaries.
Teachers have frequently pointed to concerns over being surpassed by neighboring school districts like Seneca Valley, North Allegheny, Pine-Richland and others in overall salaries and benefits offered.
Meckler said those districts have all recently hired several teachers away from Mars.
“If Mars wants to be a district that attracts and retains excellent educators, then you have to make decisions that show you value the people that are doing this work,” Meckler said. “That means moving beyond the immediate cost of an agreement and considering the long-term cost of losing experienced educators, institutional knowledge and the stability our students and children deserve.”
During the board meeting, community members again took time to praise the work of the district’s teachers and the impact they have on students.
“People often ask me, ‘How does Mars stack up against Pine-Richland or North Allegheny?’ And I tell them over and over again, ‘It’s top notch and it’s because of these teachers. They go above and beyond the expectations,’” said Rachel Zimmerman, a district parent recently hired by North Allegheny School District.
Community members said, from what they’ve seen, teachers at Mars have gone above and beyond their job expectations.
“Our teachers don’t just teach our kids. They genuinely know them. They care about them. They celebrate their successes, worry about them when they’re struggling and show up for the families in ways far beyond what’s written in the job description,” said Brittney Kenna, a district resident and Mars parent teacher organization board member.
Teachers and community members also pointed to growth in the population and tax base, saying the district should be able to support the pay increases the teachers are requesting.
“There’s more industry. There’s more house building. This place is exploding. It’s a great place and look at all the posters. We have the best mascot in America. We’re number one. This place is amazing,” said Rick Frederick, a district resident. “We’re not asking to pay the teachers number one in America. We’re just asking, give them what’s due.
“You drive by and you see the Blue Ribbon award. Amen, that’s great. Pay them for the Blue Ribbon award. Don’t pay these teachers Pabst Blue Ribbon money,” he said to laughter and applause.
