Students head back to school Monday after a quick end to a teachers strike.
The three-day strike at the Career Technology Center is over.
The process is still far from over, but it was a big step Monday morning when teachers and students returned to the classroom.
Masonry student Ryan Bentler was thrilled when he heard about the tentative agreement.
"It was awesome. I can't wait to get back to school," Bentler said.
Teachers walked off the job last week. Their old agreement ran out in September of last year, and the teachers were upset contract talks were going nowhere.
A negotiating session over the weekend changed all that.
Details of the tentative contract have not been announced, but a spokesperson for the teachers has already gone on record as saying it's a fair deal.
We do know it's a five year contract.
Yolanda Martinelli is a member of the faculty. "This was a fight for the teachers, the students and this was a victory for the tradespeople who built this country and who work hard every day," said Martinelli.
Nine Lackawanna County school districts send students there to learn skills like cosmetology, masonry, building trades and computers.
Cassie Cooley is studying child care.
"We missed out on a lot of important things. The shop I'm in, there's not a lot you can do away from here. In child care you have to be with the kids if you're going to learn," Cooley said.
The school also has a licensed practical nurse program, where Sabrina Burris is one of the adult students happy the strike is over. "It was taking time away from our clinical hours, our school hours and we weren't able to learn," Burris said.
The teachers union votes on the contract Tuesday. Then, each of the nine member schools have to vote over the next 15 days.
Then, after that, the joint operating committee has to vote on the deal, and that will come November 19.
The three-day strike at the Career Technology Center is over.
The process is still far from over, but it was a big step Monday morning when teachers and students returned to the classroom.
Masonry student Ryan Bentler was thrilled when he heard about the tentative agreement.
"It was awesome. I can't wait to get back to school," Bentler said.
Teachers walked off the job last week. Their old agreement ran out in September of last year, and the teachers were upset contract talks were going nowhere.
A negotiating session over the weekend changed all that.
Details of the tentative contract have not been announced, but a spokesperson for the teachers has already gone on record as saying it's a fair deal.
We do know it's a five year contract.
Yolanda Martinelli is a member of the faculty. "This was a fight for the teachers, the students and this was a victory for the tradespeople who built this country and who work hard every day," said Martinelli.
Nine Lackawanna County school districts send students there to learn skills like cosmetology, masonry, building trades and computers.
Cassie Cooley is studying child care.
"We missed out on a lot of important things. The shop I'm in, there's not a lot you can do away from here. In child care you have to be with the kids if you're going to learn," Cooley said.
The school also has a licensed practical nurse program, where Sabrina Burris is one of the adult students happy the strike is over. "It was taking time away from our clinical hours, our school hours and we weren't able to learn," Burris said.
The teachers union votes on the contract Tuesday. Then, each of the nine member schools have to vote over the next 15 days.
Then, after that, the joint operating committee has to vote on the deal, and that will come November 19.
