Teachers in at least 3 Pa. districts on strike
Teachers in at least 3 Pennsylvania districts on strike as school year opens
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Teachers in at least three Pennsylvania school districts went on strike Tuesday, while classes began as scheduled for many more of the state's roughly 1.7 million public school students.
In northeastern Pennsylvania, members of the Old Forge Education Association in Lackawanna County began walking a picket line after negotiations broke down last week. No new talks were held over the weekend.
"When your hand is forced, this is where you end up," said Shawn Nee, the union's vice president, said Tuesday.
Nearby in Luzerne County, Wyoming Area School District teachers also announced plans to strike Tuesday after three years of fruitless bargaining. Union president Melissa Dolman said that if there is no progress, teachers will not return to the classroom until Sept. 30.
In western Pennsylvania, union representations and officials in the Shaler Area School District met for about six hours Monday with a state-appointed mediator but were unable to reach agreement. Melissa Ravas, president of the Shaler Area Education Association, said teachers were expecting a new offer Monday but didn't receive one.
Officials said that under state law, all instructional days lost due to the walkouts must be made up by the end of June of next year.
Elsewhere, students arrived for their first day of school in many of the state's 500 school districts, though some began classes before Labor Day.
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Rubinkam reported from northeastern Pennsylvania.
