There will be no second teacher strike in Palmerton Area School District this school year.

After a two-week strike earlier this year, the Palmerton Area Education Association had announced its intention to strike again starting May 30 if a contract agreement had not been reached with the district.PAEA President Tom Smelas said following Tuesday’s board meeting that he sent a letter earlier in the day to Superintendent Scot Engler rescinding that strike notice.The two sides are scheduled for a nonbinding arbitration on June 28. Who chose that date was a point of contention Tuesday.District solicitor John Audi said it was the teachers who wanted to wait on arbitration until after the school year, while PAEA representatives said it was Audi who was unable to make the first potential arbitration date of April 13.The arbitrator, who was agreed upon by both sides, gave the April and June dates as options for the hearing.Audi said while he would have had to move things around on his schedule, he would have been able to make the April date.“I was on the phone with Molly Mirabito (a UniServ representative in the Pennsylvania State Education Association’s Allentown field office), and she said the teachers were concerned about moving forward before school ended because they felt they wouldn’t have enough prep time while they were still working.”According to PAEA negotiating member Michelle Muffley, that statement is not true.“There were no members of our team who requested this be done after the school year,” Muffley said. “It’s crazy to suggest I can’t do my job plus prepare for arbitration. I don’t make up false things. I think I know who is telling the truth.”Smelas also said it was his understanding Audi couldn’t make the April arbitration date.“It’s not true,” Audi said. “We were ready and prepared to come.” When the June 28 hearing rolls around, the district and union will split the cost of the arbitration.“We have received the cost sheet,” Smelas said. “It is $2,000 for the arbitrator to come for the hearing and $2,000 per day that the arbitrator has to review the information in order to make a recommendation.”There is no timetable for the arbitrator to come back with a recommendation.