Issue Position: Strike-FREE Education

Issue Position

Currently, 37 states, including neighboring New York and New Jersey, prohibit teacher strikes. Pennsylvania remains the undisputed "Teacher Strike Capital" of the United States with over 247,000 students locked out of the classroom throughout the past decade.

The Strike-FREE Education Pact includes House Bills 1369 and 1640. House Bill 1369, sponsored by Representative Todd Rock (R-Franklin), is a statutory change that would immediately outlaw teacher strikes in Pennsylvania.

House Bill 1640, sponsored by Representative Daryl Metcalfe, would amend Article 3, Section 14 of the Pennsylvania Constitution with the following plain English provision: "And shall not provide for any lawful strike or lockout of employees of public education."

For more information, click here to view the Strike-FREE Education Pact brochure.

Say YES! to an uninterrupted Strike-FREE education, by signing the petition!

Notable Quotable

"Militant teacher unions have no legitimate right to shut down a public school solely for bargaining purposes," said Representative Metcalfe, whose legislative district has been negatively impacted by three public school-closing teacher strikes (Seneca Valley and South Butler school districts) in recent years.

"Ultimately, teacher strikes are really the hammer that forces property taxes through the roof because taxpayers are left footing the bill for union-driven salary increases and lengthy arbitrations," said Representative Metcalfe. "Eliminating teacher strikes is a fundamental quality of life issue that I've been working on for years and will continue to do so for the benefit of our students, parents and taxpayers."

"In addition to short-changing students by completely short-circuiting the education process, teacher strikes are ultimately the hammer that drives property taxes through the roof as taxpayers are left footing the bill for union-driven salary increases and lengthy arbitrations," said Metcalfe, whose legislative district has been negatively impacted by three public school-closing teacher strikes in recent years (Seneca Valley and South Butler school districts).

"In addition to short-changing students by completely short-circuiting the education process, teacher strikes are ultimately the hammer that drives property taxes through the roof as taxpayers are left footing the bill for union-driven salary increases and lengthy arbitrations," said Metcalfe, whose legislative district has been negatively impacted by three public school-closing teacher strikes in recent years (Seneca Valley and South Butler school districts).

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