Palmerton Area School District board members responded Monday to a strike notice authorized one week ago by the teacher’s union by releasing terms of its latest offer.

Last week, the Palmerton Area Education Association voted to strike on Jan. 9, 2017, if a contract agreement does not take place.“The board is very disappointed that the association responded to very productive talks with a strike notice,” the district said in a press release issued Monday afternoon.“Since the strike notice was issued, the district has twice offered to engage in the fact-finding arbitration process, but has yet to hear back from the association. The district stands ready not only to continue to bargain in good faith under the threat of a strike, but also to enter into any impasse resolution process set forth under the law in an attempt to resolve the differences at the table and avoid a strike.”Tom Smelas, association president, said last week the announcement came early in order to “give the community ample notice of our intent so that all parties involved can make appropriate arrangements and nobody is caught off guard.”PAEA has been negotiating with the school district on a new teachers’ contract since February.“A strike should always be the last possible option in resolving bargaining issues, particularly in public education where the students and community are so adversely effected by a strike,” said attorney John Audi, the district’s labor counsel and chief negotiator.Terms offeredAccording to the district’s release, its last offer, rejected by the teachers on Sept. 28, raises the starting salary from its current $43,982 per year to $50,000.By comparison, the “Step 1” rate for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree in Lehighton Area School District is $40,850, according to hires made this past summer.“This is offered to help the district get the best of the best teachers available in the marketplace,” the release continues.“The association has also rejected raises of 3.25 percent per year for every teacher over the next three years, accompanied by a $1,500 stipend for any teacher attaining a master’s degree.”The district said the teachers have rejected a health benefits package “with a choice of top-of-the-line health care options.”The first option, according to the district, is a PPO with a $400 deductible for single and $800 deductible for family and what the district calls a “modest premium co-pay,” ranging from $50 per month for single coverage to $72.50 per month for family coverage in the first year.The second option provides a $2,000/$4,000 deductible without any copays or premium shares.The last contract, which ran four years, expired June 30.Board response“I have always held our teachers in such high regard,” said Sue Debski, a board member and member of the district’s negotiating team.“The association’s apparent rush to a strike in lieu of a fact-finding hearing is very perplexing to me especially since the district has placed a generous offer on the table and has made such significant movement.”The district contends that the association’s sole salary demand to date seeks increases of 3 percent, 4 percent, 4 percent and 5 percent per year plus additional increases for taking continuing education courses, all on a salary matrix with a $12,000 increase for a select few.Other demands include eliminating any premium share payments for its health care benefits.“To the best of our knowledge, based upon what has been expressed at the bargaining table from the association’s team members, the union is holding out for a continuation of a $12,000 jump step for a select few of their members,” said Charles Gildner, a board member on the negotiations team.“The district has closed that gap in its proposal because it eats up all the money for a few and does not allow the money to be evenly distributed amongst the teachers.”Over the course of the last contract, the district said, actual pay increases ranged from 1 to 21 percent depending on the step placement of the teacher.“The district believes this distribution is grossly unfair and has restructured the pay schedule to provide all teachers with an equal percentage increase, 3.25 percent,” according to the release.Gildner said the district has taken seriously its role in advancing the educational needs of students while balancing the bottom line of what the community can afford to pay.“If this proposal is not enough for the union leadership, and they are not willing to engage in any other means of coming to an agreement other than a work stoppage, then shame on them,” he said.Smelas responded to the district’s release. “The association has always felt the most effective way to bargain is in the boardroom, not in the press. We are disappointed the board has taken this step.“Assuming the school board has provided the association’s negotiating team with accurate information, PAEA’s salary offer is less than the board’s proposal and the association’s healthcare proposal would potentially save the district a significant amount of money over the term of the agreement.”Smelas said the association will be attending a bargaining session Wednesday night and “will continue to keep the public informed.”Palmerton officials said they intend to put complete proposals from the district and the union on the district’s website at

http://www.palmerton.org/negotiations.The school board meets tonight at 6:30 in the administration building.