Column: When good people make bad decisions

School board, teachers failing to make coherent public case in labor talks By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com I’m sure, somewhere, there’s a self-help book called “When good people make bad decisions.” If so, I’d kind of appreciate it if someone would send a crate here to Unionville. The latest wrangling by the school board and the teachers’ union is a case in point — and neither...

Unionville cuts offer to teachers, cites state aid cuts

Follows Gov. Corbett’s call for pay freeze by offering no raise in current year By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com EAST MARLBOROUGH — Although it appears some progress had been made in the ongoing contract talks between the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and its teachers, the district has pulled a previous offer from the negotiating table, based on a deal proposed by a state...

Deal reached in Unionville teachers’ continuing education rules

Takes one major issue off the table in the ongoing talks between the district and its teachers By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com EAST MARLBOROUGH — The first concrete sign of progress in the ongoing talks between the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and its teachers union came when the two sides agreed on new rules about what courses teachers can take and from which educational institutions...

Sides split on progress of Unionville teacher talks

Health care plan, changes in seniority rules remain major stumbling blocks By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com POCOPSON — Talks continue between the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and its teachers union, but whether progress in those talks is being made depends on who is doing the talking. “The discussions are hard, but progress is being made,” said board Vice President Frank...

Updated: Corbett’s call for salary freeze could have impact on Unionville teacher talks

Nearly $500K in cuts in local school funding, more state police in proposed state budget 4:20 p.m. Updated: adds figures for local education funding cuts By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com Gov. Tom Corbett It’s lean and mean, but it remains unclear at first blush exactly what the local impact will be of Gov. Tom Corbett’s first proposed state budget — a budget that calls for some $2.6...

Surrendering reason for the sake of a headline and greed

When thinking about the Unionville teachers’ contract talks, it’s important to remember that we’re all in this together UnionvilleTimes.com editorial cartoon graphic. Copyright, 2011. All rights reserved. By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com There’s right, and there’s wrong. If you ask 100 people about the current Unionville-Chadds Ford teacher contract negotiations, you’ll...

Unionville board to teachers: please reconsider

Board members ask teachers union to rethink rejection of fact-finder’s report By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com EAST MARLBOROUGH — The Unionville-Chadds Ford Board of Education seemed to have one message for its teachers Monday night: please reconsider. The Unionville-Chadds Ford Education Association’s rank-and-file members voted down a proposed settlement to the year-long talks...

Updated: Schools fact-finding report seems to support board position

Teachers rejected proposal that skews more closely to district offer on economic issues, union on work rules Updated: Feb. 10, adds comments from teachers’ union. By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com EAST MARLBOROUGH — From a quick read of fact-finder Mariann E. Schick’s proposed settlement between the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and the Unionville-Chadds Ford Education...

District, teachers union make case for contract proposals

One director suggests current teacher proposal could lead to layoffs while union says it’s unfair for teachers to be blamed for HS renovation costs By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com Unionville school board finance chair Keith Knauss presents his take on the implications of the teacher contract talks, Tuesday night. PENNSBURY — In the end, it will come down to numbers. When representatives...

Unionville school board to speak more publicly on teacher talks

Board to offer its side of negotiations at Tuesday night’s meeting By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com EAST MARLBOROUGH — New year, new approach. The Unionville-Chadds Ford Board of Education has decided to take a more public stance relative to the ongoing negotiations with its teachers union and plans to offer a full report, Tuesday, on the state of the negotiations, seemingly currently...