10/26/2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE From Garfield Heights Teachers’ Association
Garfield Heights Teachers' Association (GHTA) Ratifies a Tentative Agreement with the Garfield Heights City School District (GHCSD)
GARFIELD HEIGHTS, OH—October 25, 2022
Garfield Heights, OH: This afternoon, after nearly seven months of negotiations with the GHCS district, the GHTA voted to ratify the tentative agreement that was signed by the GHTA and GHCS on October 21, 2022.
“This agreement would not have been possible without the unwavering support of parents, community members, and partners such as the Black Women Committee of Cuyahoga County, the North Shore Federation of Labor, Northeast Ohio Education Association, Maple Organization Support Team, Ohio Education Association active and retired, and local businesses in Garfield Heights,” said Susan Hart, the Garfield Heights Teachers Association spokesperson. “We would also like to lift up all of the hard work and dedication of our teachers in supporting our negotiating team to ensure that we have the very best learning conditions for our students. At the end of the day, this is about having the tools we need to serve our students in the best way that we possibly can. Everything we did at the bargaining table, in the school buildings, and in the community was done with that goal in the forefront.”
The agreement ratified by the GHTA membership includes solutions to long-standing difficulties that teachers in the district have been facing. One of the most critical components of the tentative agreement is the establishment of a joint safety committee in each school building in which teachers and administrators can work together to develop real-time solutions to the ongoing safety issues occurring in the district. Additionally, limits on the growing amount of non-voluntary duties assigned to teachers were established so that more of their time can be devoted to developing quality lessons for their students. The GHTA negotiated wage increases in the tentative agreement that are a first step in ensuring that Garfield Heights teachers are no longer the lowest paid teachers in Cuyahoga County.
GHTA Vice President, Timothy Duhanich, emphasized the importance of the involvement of the union’s teachers and the Garfield Heights community in the success of reaching the tentative agreement.
“Our union members were out in full force on this effort. They overwhelmingly supported the authorization of a 10-day strike notice despite any fears they may have had or the hesitation to be away from their students. They participated in every call to action that was made by the union.” Duhanich went on to say, “We also saw an outpouring of support from local businesses and community stakeholders in our efforts to reach a fair and equitable contract for all the certified employees in the GHCS district. These pressure points were felt by everyone at the bargaining table. It is our hope that, with working conditions that support the best teaching and learning environment possible for our students and wages that can one day compete with surrounding districts, we can attract and retain quality teachers here in Garfield Heights.”
