Date Set For Archbold School Contract Hearing

A fact-finding hearing between the Archbold Area School Board and the Archbold Education Association is Wednesday, Feb. 27.

David Deskins, Archbold Area School District superintendent, gave the information Monday.

The school board held a special work session meeting, Friday, Feb. 1. During the one hour, 55-minute meeting, the board discussed the present status of the negotiations, and began their preparations for the fact-finding process, Deskins said.

No action was taken at the meeting.

The two sides, the school board and the AEA, are negotiating wages and insurance issues under the current master contract between the two sides. Negotiations have been underway since April 2007.

The education association declared the negotiations were at an impasse last fall.

The group called for the factfinding process, through the State Employment Relations Board.

The fact-finder, a neutral third party, listens to both sides during a hearing, then prepares a report. The fact-finder report is not binding; either side can reject it.

A location of the Feb. 27 hearing has not been set, but Deskins said work is underway to hold the hearing in Archbold.