Norton teachers union to vote next month on tentative agreement reached with school board

Members of the Norton teachers union will vote Aug. 5-8 on a new contract , the president of the union said Wednesday.

A tentative agreement between the Norton Classroom Teachers Association and the Norton City School District Board of Education was reached July 12, nearly two weeks after the previous contract expired. The two parties had been negotiating since May on a new agreement.

Amber Wheatley, president of the NCTA, said about 20 members of the Norton schools community, along with 60 teachers showed up at the June 12 session to show support for NCTA negotiators.

"The union is still stronger than ever," she said.

Compromising to reach tentative agreement

Wheatley said union negotiators made some compromises in order to secure an agreement.

"I think the NCTA was willing to give up a little more to get bigger things in general," Wheatley said.

Those issues included insurance, compensation and severance, she said.

Board of Education President Jennifer Bennett could not immediately be reached for comment.

'One of the closest votes' expected on proposed contract

Wheatley said the ratification vote early next month will take place after an Aug. 1 meeting with membership.

"I think it will be one of the closest votes that we've had since (I've been) president," she said.

In the event that members reject the tentative agreement, negotiators will pick up where they left off, she said. Negotiators expressed a desire to continue talks if that occurred.

"We have a plan moving forward in case it doesn't pass our membership," she said.

Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj or Facebook at www.facebook.com/alan.newsman.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Norton teachers union to vote next month on tentative agreement reached with school board