Mt. Pleasant Area ratifies 5-year teachers contract

Deb Erdley | Thursday, April 16, 2020 6:06 p.m.

The Mt. Pleasant Area School Board and teachers ratified a new five-year contract Wednesday, even as students and teachers — separated by the coronavirus shutdown — worked from their homes.

The board approved the contract retroactive to Sept. 1, 2018, and extending through Aug. 31, 2023, by an 8-1 vote. Former board president John Sarnese voted no.

The agreement marks the end of 800 days of contract negotiations in the Westmoreland County district that enrolls about 2,000 students in Mt. Pleasant, Mt. Pleasant Township, Donegal and Donegal Township.

The stalled contract talks began to move forward early this year after five new school board members elected last fall joined the board.

Members of the board and the teachers union declined to comment individually. Instead, they opted to speak in prepared statements that outlined the framework of the agreement and hailed the new contract.

They said the contract provides the 141 members of the Mt. Pleasant Area Education Association with an average salary increase of .55% a year, with total overall expenditures for salary increases of less than 3 percent per year. The contract provides for all members to move through the salary schedule for five years. It also boosts health insurance contributions to a total of $180 a month over the life of the contract. By the final year, that will be a 300% increase over previous monthly premium shares.

In the joint statement, education association President Terri Remaley commended her members for their conduct during the protracted negotiations.

“During the more than two years of negotiating in good faith for a fair and equitable contract, we never pulled the students into the process, and we appreciate the support from the parents and our community in our effort to reach this agreement,” Remaley said.

“Thanks to the board, all the teachers and the union for finding a common path so that this agreement could be ratified. … There was a lot of time and effort put forth,” school board President Michael Picarsic said.