BETHLEHEM, Pa. - As the school year is about to start in Bethlehem, some employees are planning to go on strike.
The district announced on its website and social media that its clerical and secretarial workers have chosen to strike on Monday, which coincides with the first day of school.
"Despite long negotiation sessions this weekend among the Bethlehem Area School District, the Teamster Local 773 Clerical and Secretarial Employees, and the state-appointed mediator, a contract agreement was not reached," the district stated.
It said school will go on as planned, and "negotiations will continue in pursuit of a fair agreement."
Despite long negotiation sessions this weekend among the Bethlehem Area School District, the Teamster Local 773 Clerical and Secretarial Employees, and the state-appointed mediator, a contract agreement was not reached. Consequently, the BASD’s clerical and secretarial workers have decided to strike on Monday, August 26, 2024.
School will go on as planned.
Negotiations will continue in pursuit of a fair agreement.
On Aug. 9, Teamster Local 773 said on its Facebook page that the district "failed to bring anything of substance to the table" during an open negotiating session. At that time, the union posted that its members voted unanimously to authorize a strike.
On Sunday, the union called on its members to support workers on the strike at pickets at every school and administration building on Monday morning until an agreement is reached "that treats our members with dignity and respect for the job they do day in and day out!"
The district's school board has a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday at 7 p.m. at East Hills Middle School. Meetings are also livestreamed on BASD's YouTube channel.