Mars Teachers Union Says Key Issues Remain Unresolved as Contract Deadline Nears

With five days remaining before the Mars Area School District teachers’ contract expires, the Mars Area Education Association is publicly raising concerns about the pace of negotiations, saying little progress was made during Thursday’s bargaining session and several major issues remain unresolved.

In a press release issued Friday, the union said the latest bargaining session lasted approximately 90 minutes and ended without what it described as “substantial movement” toward resolving key contract issues. The current collective bargaining agreement expires June 30.

The statement comes one day after negotiators for the district and the teachers’ union met for another round of contract talks.

According to the union, one of the central issues remains teacher compensation. District administrators have received average annual salary increases of between 4.3% and nearly 5% over the past five years, according to the MAEA. The union says the district is currently proposing a 3.5% salary increase for teachers, while the most experienced teachers have averaged approximately 1.23% annual salary growth over the last five years. The press release also includes salary comparisons between district administrators and teachers, along with average teacher salary data showing Mars teachers earn less than educators in neighboring school districts.

The union also raised concerns about the district’s healthcare proposal, saying it would require teachers to contribute a 5% premium share, make changes to deductibles and health plans, and potentially pay additional costs if insurance renewals exceed certain thresholds. According to the MAEA, those changes could leave many teachers with less take-home pay during the first year of a new contract.

“Educators show up every day for our students, our families and our community,” MAEA President Hollie Meckler said in the release. “We came to the table prepared to engage in meaningful negotiations. Ending a bargaining session after only 90 minutes without progress sends a troubling message about the District’s priorities.”

The union said it decided to issue the statement because it believes previous public updates from the school district presented only part of the negotiations and lacked important context. The association said it remains willing to continue bargaining and hopes an agreement can be reached before the current contract expires.

According to Meckler, the two sides are scheduled to return to the negotiating table on July 7, even though the current agreement expires June 30.

Meckler said the union is not planning any change in its current approach.

“We will make an official announcement if we decide to move in a different direction,” she said. “But right now we have hopes that the community will reach out and offer their support for the teachers who have done so much for this community.”

The 228 Times requested comment from Mars Area School District regarding the union’s statement. District officials had not responded as of Friday afternoon. This story will be updated if a response is received.