Rep. Simmons Announces Support for Teacher Strike Ban

On Tuesday, local state Rep. Justin Simmons (R-131) announced that he is co-sponsoring legislation that would ban teacher strikes and public school lockouts in Pennsylvania, and he specifically highlighted the recent strikes in the in making public his support for the legislation.

"The Saucon Valley School District, in my legislative district, has seen two strikes in the last three years," Simmons said in a press release. "This has put thousands of children out of school, leaving working parents scrambling to supervise their kids. It is wrong."

The most recent strike in the district occurred in October 2009, and forced almost 2,500 students out of school for days.

In September 2008, a shorter strike also divided the community.

According to Simmons, "the time to take action (on teacher strikes) is long overdue."

"The banning of teacher strikes is not a revolutionary concept," he said, adding that 37 other states currently ban teacher strikes and that "it's time to end Pennsylvania's embarrassing title of teacher strike capital of the United States."

Additionally, he said he believes that teacher strikes violate Pennsylvania's state Constitution, in which Article 3, Section 14 states: "The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth."

Simmons said he joined with the prime sponsors of House Bills 1369 and 1640, Rep. Todd Rock (R-Franklin) and Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler), to discuss the legislation at a Capitol news conference Tuesday. Collectively, the bills are known as the Strike-Free Education Pact.

The Strike-Free Education Pact would immediately outlaw teacher strikes and lockouts as well as define enforceable financial penalties, "including: $5,000 (per) individual, per incident for inciting a strike; the loss of two days of pay for each striking teacher, each day of an illegal strike; and the striking teachers union forfeiting its dues check-off privilege for one year," according to the Simmons press release.

Simmons' legislative district includes a portion of Lower Saucon Township, along with Upper Saucon Township, Lower Milford Township, Coopersburg, and parts of Salisbury Township, Allentown and Upper Milford Township.

His district office is located in Black River Plaza at 3606 Route 378, Suite A, in Lower Saucon Township. Simmons' website is www.repsimmons.com.