The Port Allegany Education Support Professionals Association, the union that represents the support staff employees in the Port Allegany School District, announced Friday that it is taking legal action against the school district for its “continued attempts to fire the district’s cafeteria employees.”

The release, emailed Friday afternoon, stated Joyce Stehle, president of the Port Allegany Education Support Professional Association- PSEA, said the following: “Despite community opposition to the school board’s proposals to subcontract the cafeteria jobs to a for-profit company, the school board seems intent on illegally firing these dedicated employees. We have been forced to file an unfair labor practice charge against the district.”

The release also reiterated the fact that the Pennsylvania Employee Relations Act requires that employers bargain in good faith and provide pertinent information related to negotiating a contract, before stating the district has refused to provide the union with financial information included in the subcontracting bid.

“Clearly this is not a case about money. The district has a healthy fund balance that is about 43 percent of the overall budget,” Stehle said in the release. “It is clear that the school board is trying to intimidate the lowest paid workers in the district — all of whom happen to be female.”

When reached late Friday, Gary Buchsen, superintendent of the Port Allegany School District, commented,

“The Port Allegany School District board of directors and the PAESPA continue to negotiate as part of the regular collective bargaining process. The two parties met most recently on Wednesday, Sept. 30, along with their state assigned mediator. Although no future dates have been set at this time, both parties have agreed to continue to bargain over the days to come.”

Buchsen also confirmed that the decision to subcontract cafeteria work is not final and “All food service workers continue to be employees of the Port Allegany School District.”

The union also made note of the fact that a petition opposing the move to subcontract the jobs has received more than 1,000 signatures. The union also stated the June board meeting had been attended by people who were opposed to the idea.

The union release concluded with the statement, “We are so grateful to the residents of our town for their support during this community crisis. We hope the school board will finally listen to them and stop threatening employees and settle a fair contract.”