Media advisory for: Nov. 10, 2021
Contact:
Rosemary Boland
Sftlocal114@epix.net
570-343-3911
Janet Bass
jbass@aft.org
301-502-5222
SCRANTON, Pa.—About 400 striking Scranton educators will bring their fight to Harrisburg, Pa., on Wednesday, for a rally demanding that their contract, which expired five years ago, be funded with available state and federal aid.
Four buses, plus strikers taking their own cars, will leave Scranton at about 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The rally in Harrisburg will start at 10:30 a.m. on the steps of the state Capitol and will feature remarks from several state lawmakers.
Lawmakers who have been invited to speak include Sen. Marty Flynn and Reps. Mike Carroll, Malcolm Kenyatta, Bridget Kosierowski and Kyle Mullins.
Picket lines will continue in Scranton while rally participants are in Harrisburg.
Scranton Federation of Teachers President Rosemary Boland said Scranton schools have been shortchanged $39 million annually. Along with federal aid from the American Rescue Plan—which provided Scranton with nearly $60 million—Boland said there is plenty of money to fund a contract without any need for a tax increase.
WHAT: Rally in Harrisburg, Pa.
WHEN: 7:30 a.m.—Buses leave the SFT office at 431 Wyoming Ave., Scranton
10:30 a.m.—Rally begins
WHERE: Steps of state Capitol
WHO: SFT President Rosemary Boland and state lawmakers
NOTE: The last negotiating session was Thursday, Nov. 4. After numerous union calls for more bargaining sessions, the school district finally agreed to a bargaining session to be held Friday, Nov. 12.
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