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Stop Teacher Strikes, Inc

Teacher Strike Update

by News Release

The Pennsylvania teachers' union (PSEA) are back in action. Today, two school districts see their doors shut following the summer break.

Dusquesne in Allegheny County:
http://kdka.com/school/Duquesne.School.Strike.2.808123.html

Souderton Area in Montgomery County:
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b1_2souderton.6571159sep02,0,5916730.story

Meanwhile, news reports from Washington state demonstrate what happens when a state legislature enacts a tooth-less strike ban law. The teachers union will set a shining example to children by simply breaking the law, because they know they can:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2008130329_striked22html

Unlike the toothless and unconstitutional binding arbitration proposal from State Senator, Robert Mellow (SB 20), the STRIKE-FREE Education Act (HB 1369) has substance. Public school employees who struck illegally would face defined financial penalties as would the union. The same defined penalties faced by all public employees under the Taylor Law in New York State - which prohibits teacher strikes alongside 37 other states in the nation. The level of public transparency in HB 1369 holds both negotiating parties' feet to the fire and ensures fairness for all.

Why does Pennsylvania allow teacher strikes when 37 other states do not? Why does House Labor Relations Committe Chair, Robert Belfanti, refuse to even allow HB 1369 to have a public hearing? If the bill does not pass a floor vote, then so be it. But why is this one politician allowed to decide whether or not it even gets heard? These are good questions.

PSEA lobbyists are clearly allowed to thwart the democratic process and then brag about it:
http://www.psea.org/voice/article.cfm?artid=2114

There are currently a staggering 116 school districts operating with expired teachers' contracts in PA. Any parent/taxpayer can review the list via our home page.

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Simon Campbell
President, StopTeacherStrikes Inc.
668 Stony Hill Rd. #298
Yardley, PA 19067
Tel: 215-586-3573
http://www.stopteacherstrikes.org