Bellefonte Area Teachers and Staff Union to Vote on Strike Authorization

Updated 10:29 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, with comment from PSEA’s Connor Lewis
Updated 8:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, with comment from Bellefonte Area School Board President Jon Guizar.

Approximately 230 Bellefonte Area teachers and staff will vote Monday on whether to authorize a strike if necessary amid lagging negotiations with the district over a new contract.

Bargaining sessions began a year ago, but Bellefonte Area Education Association members said on Friday that they have been stalled by district negotiators. After the previous agreement expired on June 30, unionized employees entered the 2026-27 school year without a contract.

“Our members have sacrificed hundreds of hours since the beginning of the 2025-26 school year to reach a fair agreement,” Rachel Griel, a school nurse and member of the Bellefonte Area Education Association Negotiations Committee, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, district negotiators have resorted to ultimatums and stall tactics. We and the Bellefonte community deserve better.”

The union called on the district “to bargain in good faith,” with Griel saying that negotiations have amounted to “take-it-or-leave-it offers handed over by an attorney.”

Jon Guizar, school board president and chair of its negotiations committee, said the board was “quite surprised” by the union’s announcement of Friday.

“This is the first we’ve heard any talk of stalled negotiations or a strike potential,” Guizar wrote in an email to StateCollege.com. “We have felt like we are working diligently to negotiate in good faith to reach an agreement that provides for our staff and students while also being mindful of our budget and keeping necessary tax increases at a level the community can afford.”

Union members are seeking a contract that addresses the professional staff compensation gap between Bellefonte and other local school districts. Bellefonte “has among the lowest professional staff compensation in Centre County,” according to a release from the Pennsylvania State Education Association, falling behind Penns Valley, Bald Eagle and State College.

“Our membership is so tired of watching our students get left behind and seeing skilled educators leave Bellefonte because of disrespect and lack of fair pay,” Katherin Momenzadeh, a high school English teacher, said in a statement. “This is not an easy choice, but we have to stand up for ourselves and our school community.”

The next round of negotiations is scheduled for Sept. 22, though the union noted the session was scheduled for the duration of the afternoon and evening prior to the district’s announcement of a special meeting that night to fill a vacant school board seat.

Guizar said the last negotiation session was on Wednesday and an offer is currently on the table.

“The association has indicated that they would respond to our latest proposal at our next negotiating session on 9-22-26,” he wrote. “You can imagine our surprise to hear of this news [of a strike vote].”

Connor Lewis, region advocacy coordinator for the PSEA, said Guizar was not present for the last negotiation session.

“The district offered another unacceptable take-it-or-leave-it proposal, which the union declined to accept as written,” Lewis wrote in an email. “The union will have a response ready on September 22 should the district make the agreed upon time to negotiate.”