BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Bethlehem Area School District reached a tentative agreement with Teamster Local 773 Clerical and Secretarial Employees in a Wednesday evening bargaining session.
District secretaries, who had been on strike since Monday, will return to work Thursday, according to a BASD social media post.
There are about 80 clerical staff members in the district.
Negotiations initially began in February, and the last three-year contract expired June 30. As of Monday, BASD and the union had yet to reach an agreement on multiple issues, including raises, paid time off, health insurance and working conditions.
BASD secretaries currently earn $26.34 an hour.
During negotiations, Local 773 requested BASD clerical staff receive a 14% hourly pay increase for this school year, a 5% increase for 2025-2026 and a 5% increase for 2026-2027, according to a summary document shared by BASD Wednesday ahead of the bargaining session.
The district said it offered a 4% hourly pay increase for each year of the new contract.
The two sides were also at odds with their initial health insurance proposals.
The union requested no change in health insurance costs, whereas the district called for employees to pay $1 more per paycheck for single-person coverage and $1.50 more per paycheck for family coverage.
Clerical employees currently pay $520 annually for single-person coverage or $780 annually for family coverage, according to the same document shared by BASD.
For paid-time off, 12-month clerical employees currently receive 12 sick days, one personal day and up to 20 vacation days based on years of service in the district.
BASD offered that these time-off benefits remain the same in the upcoming contract. Clerical employees requested existing sick days, three additional personal days and up to 22 vacation days.
A state-appointed mediator had been involved in recent negotiation sessions, including Wednesday's session and two bargaining sessions last weekend.
The terms of the tentative agreement have not yet been shared publicly. Union members will vote on the agreement Thursday.
The first day of the school year was Monday, Aug. 26.
