Tensions escalate in New Ken-Arnold contract negotiations

John Pallone, superintendent of the New Kensington-Arnold School District, is accusing a spokesman for its teachers union of violating an agreement to not discuss contract negotiations until a deal is done.

The union spokesman, Phil Cope, has made “several inaccurate statements” to the media about the negotiations, Pallone said in a statement to the Tribune-Review.

The district canceled the most recent school board meeting, scheduled for May 23, because of a lack of quorum.

The union spokesman called the last negotiations session May 15 a setback because no school board members attended.

Pallone said a team representing the district was in a separate area of the building that evening but did not identify members.

He took issue with Cope’s characterization because the two parties remain “very close to a final settlement.”

“The district remains cautiously optimistic that an agreement will be reached soon,” Pallone said in a statement. He said both parties agreed more than a month ago to not discuss negotiations until they reach a final agreement.

The New Kensington-Arnold Education Association did not respond to a request for comment.

Since the contract expired in August 2017, the district and the union have held at least 16 negotiating sessions, according to the district. At issue are salaries and benefits for 161 teachers and staff represented by the union.

If negotiations stretch beyond this year, they will continue under a new makeup of the school board.

Two board incumbents were unseated in Tuesday’s primary election, and a third incumbent tied with a challenger, according to unofficial results. Three other incumbents didn’t seek re-election.

“I’m anxious to work with these folks that are coming in,” board president Robert Pallone told the Trib. “They obviously have a lot of budgetary experience and magic that I don’t. I’m anxious to see them raise the test scores and come to a resolution with the teachers without raising the taxes dramatically.”

Robert Pallone’s term doesn’t expire until 2021.

Four of nine board members attended the canceled meeting scheduled for May 23: Scott Bussard, Kristin O’Sullivan, Chelsea Stone and Ellyse Williams. Board members who did not attend were Robert Pallone, Eric Doutt, Kathleen Clarke, Robert Fusia and Wayne Perry.

The meeting has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday.

In his written statement, John Pallone said the teachers union refused to negotiate during the summer.

A tentative agreement on salaries had been reached before last week’s session, which was held to resolve unspecified issues that remain unresolved, according to the district.

An original version of this story included the wrong day for the school board’s rescheduled meeting. The meeting is Wednesday.