Time For A Mediator

The contract dispute between the Garden City School District and the Garden City Teachers' Association has taken a new turn as both sides have agreed to seek assistance from a mediator.

For the third month in a row, a large group of teachers attended the Garden City Board of Education meeting to silently show their support for resolution to the contract dispute between their union and the district.

Gregory J. Guercio, a partner in the firm of Guercio & Guercio who has served as the district's chief negotiator with the union since contract meetings began in March, said at Monday evening's Board meeting that although a "great deal of progress" had been made, both sides were unable to "close the gap." At the last School Board meeting, School Board President Kenneth Monaghan announced that the dividing issue concerns teacher duties.

Both sides have agreed to request Howard Edelman from the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) to serve as mediator. The first mediation session is scheduled for December 11th. According to Guercio, even though both sides are anxious to resolve the matter, they are willing to wait until Edelman is available. He said that since both sides agree on a mediator, it is more likely that they both will accept his recommendation.

Under the Public Employees Fair Employment Act, commonly known as the Taylor Law, every contract provision remains in effect even though it expired on June 30th. The labor relations statute covers most public employees in New York State and establishes, among other things, procedures for the resolution of collective bargaining disputes.

If resolution is not achieved after a number of mediation sessions, another PERB staff member is appointed to conduct the next step, called "fact-finding." More mediation sessions can be held, or the staff member can decide to hold a hearing and produce a written, nonbinding recommendation for settlement to both parties. Five days after releasing the document to the two sides, the recommendation is made available to the public. Guercio said he hopes that the mediator will be able to resolve the matter before fact-finding is needed.

GCTA President Carlo Rebolini had no comment.