The Penn Hills School District's impending teachers strike was the main focus of the school board workshop meeting on Tuesday.

The board allowed public comment regarding the situation but made it clear the board would not debate specifics.

Barring a settlement last night, the teachers were to begin their strike today.

On Monday, the Penn Hills Education Association - the union representing the district's 415 teachers - announced its intention to strike because of the lack of progress on contract negotiations. The teachers' last contract, a five-year pact, expired Aug. 31.

At several points during Tuesday's meeting, President Joseph Bailey assured the public of the board's desire to settle the contract and said that school officials were surprised by the union's sudden decision to strike.

"We really did not know," he said. "We thought things were going in the right direction. We have every confidence in the teaching staff and want to come up with a resolution."

He said Tuesday that negotiation meetings were planned through the rest of this week.

Public comments also reflected surprise that a strike was called this week.

"It should be a last resort," said parent Heather Hoolahan. "I don't think everything that would lead up to [a strike], like fact-finding, has been done."

At the meeting, the district distributed a one-page document recounting its view of the contract negotiations, which began in January 2009.

According to the statement, the district made three contract proposals to the teachers' union between June and January 2010. All three were rejected by the PHEA, officials said.

Increases in teachers' salary and contribution to health care have been the key issues in the contract talks.

Over the past two years, the school board has taken steps to reduce expenses in response to declining revenues and long-standing budget deficits.

The district closed two schools in 2008 and is in the midst of a $130 million building plan that includes a new high school and the consolidation of four elementary schools into a single center.

District administrators agreed to forgo their 3 percent to 5 percent salary increases for the 2009-10 school year. No funds were allocated for increases in teachers' salaries in the current school year's budget.

School officials have said the building plan would not require a tax increase. Whether the new teachers contract will require one is a point of contention.

Penn Hills' tax rate - 24.81 mills - ranks as the seventh-highest "tax effort" in the state, school officials say. Tax effort refers to the relationship between a community's tax rate and its overall wealth.

The district's most recent contract proposal would restore "step" increases - the annual raises that teachers receive for each year of service - in the second year of the five-year contract. It includes graduated salary increases of 1 to 3 percent in years three to five of the contract.

The proposal also would increase teachers' contribution to their health care cost beginning in the second year of the contract. Teachers now pay 1.2 percent of salary for health care benefits.

The district proposed raising the contribution to 4 percent of the actual premium in year two of the contract. By the fifth year, the contribution would be 7 percent of the premium.

Richard Liberto, business manager for the district, said the cost for the proposed contract is $11 million over five years. By comparison, he said, the average cost of teacher contract settlements in Pennsylvania is $3.5 million.

School board member Bob Hudak said Tuesday he would propose a resolution to "analyze and evaluate" the effectiveness of the district's contracted chief negotiator, Bruce Campbell, at Monday's voting meeting if the strike continues into next week.

If such a resolution is put up for a vote, it would be the second time for such an action. In September, former school board member Erin Vecchio put a similar resolution on the board's agenda. The resolution failed.

In response to Mr. Hudak's statement, Mr. Bailey said, "Mr. Campbell is not the issue here."

Superintendent Joseph Carroll said the district will cancel extracurricular activities during the strike if an adequate number of coaches and supervisors is not available. Event cancellation information will be posted on the district's website, www.phsd.k12.pa.us.

The district's last teachers strike was during the 1992-93 school year.

Another employee contract in the district is unresolved. The contract for the Penn Hills Education Support Professionals Association, which represents secretaries, instructional aides and recess aides, expired June 30.

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