Haverford school district is at odds with teachers union over wage increases. A resolution could be on the horizon

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A dispute over wage increases has stalled contract negotiations between the School District of Haverford Township and the staff union.

But Adam Nancarrow, president of the union, said recent discussions between the parties have been fruitful.

“There is a difference between the two sides,” Nancarrow told WHYY News. “However, that difference is much smaller than it was at the start.”

The previous, three-year collective bargaining agreement expired Aug. 31. As a result, teachers and staff at Delaware County’s second-largest school district have been working without a contract since Sept. 1.

Approximately 100 teachers, parents and students attended Thursday evening’s regularly scheduled school board meeting to voice their opinions and compel the board to reach a deal.

“While we can’t afford to pay these teachers what they deserve, we can afford to pay them what they are asking for,” parent Julie Myers said during public comment. “So stop the games and find the money.”

The district offered an annual increase to the payroll over the summer, but the Haverford Township Education Association has asserted the proposal did not uniformly benefit longtime employees. Meanwhile, the union is bargaining for an annual cost-of-living adjustment, but the two sides have been unable to agree on a figure.

At Thursday’s meeting, community members spoke about how Haverford’s teachers have gone above and beyond to uplift their children.

“These people are not just here to teach our children how to read, write and learn algebra,” said parent Lisa Achuff. “They do so much more and they work countless hours beyond the school day for our children.”

School board president Latanya King thanked the community for showing up to the meeting, which lasted for more than two hours.

“Please know that we do hear your comments,” King said. “We continue to remain committed to working with the association towards a contract agreement that is feasible for all.”

What is the Haverford Township Education Association?

The Haverford Township Education Association represents nearly 500 counselors, librarians, nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, speech and language pathologists and teachers across the district’s seven schools.

More than 90% of school district faculty hold an advanced degree. The high-performing district serves roughly 6,500 students — 95% of whom continue on to post-secondary education.

“We are a community that cares about our schools and education and that’s true for the people that spoke tonight [and] for the members of the board,” King told WHYY News. “We all value our teachers here in the community.”

In addition to the cost-of-living adjustment to keep pace with inflation, the union is seeking more preparation time for lesson planning in their next contract. The current salary schedule within the existing contract separates faculty into four sections based on the level of their education.

“If your money is not growing at the rate of inflation, it’s losing purchasing power,” Nancarrow said.

According to the district, the average teacher salary in Haverford is $90,400. Under its last available public proposal to the union, the average teacher salary would have risen to $106,275 by the 2028-2029 academic school year. The union wants wages to be competitive with other neighboring districts.

Cara Seker grew up in Havertown and has since become a science teacher in Philadelphia. During public comment, she said she decided to apply for an opening at Haverford. However, she had reservations.

“If I were to take a position in my own neighborhood, I would not be able to afford my house,” Seker said. “I would take a double digit percentage pay cut. And now six weeks without an updated contract, for me, you aren’t hypothetically missing out on qualified teachers — I am one.”

Could there be ‘light at the end of the tunnel?’

Negotiations reached a stalemate shortly before the beginning of the school year as the parties were $6 million apart on wages. In September, the school district accused the union of providing “misleading information” to the public.

Nancarrow declined to get into details about the specific wage increase the union is seeking. He said both sides have made a “concerted effort” to find a resolution.

“We are having real substantial conversations and we see a path forward,” Nancarrow told meeting attendees Thursday night. “However, I must be clear — progress requires sustained commitment and focus from both sides. We cannot afford to lose momentum or be or become distracted.”

Haverford is not the only district in Delaware County engaged in a contract standoff with its union. Educators in the William Penn School District have also been teaching without a new collective bargaining agreement since the start of the school year.

Unlike Haverford, William Penn has struggled financially. The chronically underfunded district serves approximately 4,500 students from a number of working-class boroughs in Delaware County. More than 50% of William Penn’s budget comes from the state while 40% comes from local real estate taxes.

Haverford is far less reliant on the state to fund its schools. About 80% of its revenue stream comes from local real estate taxes, according to the district’s latest budget.

Only 17% of its revenue comes from state sources.