Saucon Valley School District teachers at last month's meeting packed the board room to share with board members the difficulties of working without a current contract and pay increases.

Rich Simononis, Saucon Valley Education Association union negotiator, and high school teachers, demanded the board move to binding arbitration.

"It's proven tonight that the teachers and the school board have an adversarial relationship," he said. "We gave up $1 million in our contract proposal."

Simononis stressed at the bare minimum the teachers are merely requesting an increase in the cost of living.

"All we're asking for here is a cost of living raise," he said. "This has to stop and we have to move forward."

High school music teacher Chad Miller argued the teachers in attendance were deserving of a pay raise based on the quality of teaching they deliver.

"I'm very much a professional," he said. "And contrary to popular belief, high quality teachers are not a dime a dozen."

The union is seeking a three-year contract, which would require negotiations to begin in January on the next contract, with no health insurance changes.

"The school board has issued the same old proposal, which attempts to freeze salaries for three years," Simononis said. "The membership will never accept such an unreasonable offer."

The school district filed an unfair labor practice complaint recently with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board in the summer. A hearing was scheduled for Nov. 7.

The labor board at the hearing advised the district and the teachers' union attempt to reach a compromise.