New Legislation by Metcalfe Would Outlaw Teacher Strikes

During a news conference on Tuesday, State Rep Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, unveiled legislation that would outlaw teacher strikes and other public school lockouts in Pennsylvania.

Metcalfe partnered with State Rep Todd Rock, R-Franklin, a former non-union teacher and school board member, on the STRIKE-FREE Education Pact.

According to a statement on Metcalfe’s website, the act immediately would outlaw teacher strikes and lock outs and enforce penalties on the striking teachers, including: $5,000 individual fine, per incident for inciting a strike; striking teachers losing two days of pay, each day of an illegal strike; and the striking teachers union forfeiting its dues check-off privilege for one year. 

Rock also called Pennsylvania the “Teacher Strike Capital of the United States” with nearly 35,000 students locked out in 2009-10 school year. Over the last decade, according to Metcalfe, more than 247,000 students across the state were affected by strikes.

“The fundamental purpose of the legislation we are introducing today is to restore to every Pennsylvania child the legal right to a strike-free, uninterrupted public education,” Rock said in a statement.

Metcalfe said his legislative district was negatively impacted by three public school strikes over the last several years. In 2007, there was a five-week strike by Seneca Valley teachers. He also had strong words for teacher union members, who he said suffer no economic losses during a strike because they are retroactively paid for 180 days of instruction under state law.  

“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,” he said. “Passage of the STRIKE-FREE Education Pact will finally expel the self-serving greed of public sector unions that have no legitimate place in the public service arena or in Pennsylvania.”

Metcalfe’s amendment would need to be approved in two consecutive sessions of the Legislature and by voter referendum.

Currently, 37 states, including neighboring New York and New Jersey, prohibit teacher strikes.