Southmoreland board approves SEIU contract 5–1 after dispute over signature page

The Southmoreland School District Board of Directors approved a contract with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) for the 2024–25 school year following extended questions from trustees about specific contract language and the document’s signature page.

A board member, speaking during debate, said she did not understand Article 5.04 — the contract’s "maintenance of membership" clause — and raised questions about pay “scale” language and how seniority is handled. The trustee also objected to the contract’s final page, saying there were no printed witness names and that she "can't accept that as a valid document," and asked that signatures be printed and witnessed before final approval.

District legal counsel told the board that the questioned language was carried over from the existing agreement and had not been newly negotiated by the current administration. Counsel also said the signatures on the document were those of the union’s representatives and that the union reported it had ratified the contract.

After public discussion and board questions, the motion to approve the SEIU contract passed by voice vote with a recorded tally of 5 in favor and 1 opposed. The board’s chair declared that "the motion carries." The board did not instruct staff to reopen negotiations or amend the signature page; the contract was presented for approval as written.

The vote resolves the district’s bargaining item for the year and moves the contract toward implementation for the covered employee unit. The board’s debate focused on clarifying contract terms for members and confirming proper ratification by the union; no further formal actions on the contract were recorded during the meeting.