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Teachers in Gateway School District authorize strike

MONROEVILLE, Pa. — Another school district could soon see a teacher strike.

The teachers at the Gateway School District have given their union the power to announce a strike.

A strike would impact thousands of students. Teachers have been without a contract since last summer.

Union representatives told Channel 11 they put the district on notice that they are prepared to walk off the job after they say they've negotiated in good faith for months and claim the school board has not.

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"There have been 18 sessions scheduled," said Matt Edgell, region advocacy coordinator for the Pennsylvania State Education Association. "Four of them have been canceled by the board and of the other 14, (at) 12 of them the board was not prepared."

That's how the PSEA claims negotiations with the Gateway School Board have been for several months.

Teachers in the district have been without a contract since August and say all they want is some kind of progress.

"There have been so few proposals passed across the table by the district that what they hoping to get is a proposal, something, negotiations in good faith," Edgell said.

But in a statement to Channel 11, a spokesperson for the school district said that's exactly what it has done, adding it will continue to meet with the union to come to an agreement to benefit students and the entire school community.

Union representatives said if the perceived inaction from the board continues, the strike notice could come "very soon."