LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — A tentative agreement has been reached, potentially retracting a previously authorized strike by the Hempfield teacher's union.
On Tuesday, the negotiations teams for both the Hempfield School Board and the Hempfield Education Association (HEA) announced that a tentative agreement has been reached between the two parties.
Specific details have not been released at this time, however, both sides reportedly believe the agreement is a collaborative effort worthy of consideration by members of the school board and the Association Membership.
“We are relieved that there is a deal on the table that potentially ends this round of negotiations and allows us to more fully focus on our students,” says HEA president Anthony Jannotta.
Moving forward, both sides will review the agreement and follow their own internal process for ratification, which is expected to occur in the next month.
The strike will be officially retracted if both sides ratify the agreement. In October, the Hempfield Education Association notified the school board that teachers planned on walking out of the classroom if a deal wasn't reached by December 5.
"We are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement that supports our teachers, respects their hard work, and prioritizes the needs of our students as well as our district as a whole,” says Board Vice President Pat Wagner. “We’re grateful for everyone’s dedication to finding a solution that benefits our entire school community."
The HEA posted on Facebook about the tentative agreement, writing, "While we are not out of the woods officially until ratification occurs, we continue to thank the members of the community and beyond. We appreciate the care you showed us and interest you took in understanding the issues."