FMCS Statement on Strongsville City Schools, SEA Negotiations

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, April 26, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) issued the following statement today on the labor negotiations between the Strongsville City School District Board of Education and the Strongsville Education Association (SEA):

The FMCS is pleased to announce that following lengthy negotiations conducted under our auspices, the parties have reached a comprehensive, tentative collective bargaining agreement. This tentative agreement is subject to ratification by the teachers' union membership and the Strongsville Board of Education.

In addition, with the pending resolution of the current work stoppage, representatives of the Board and the SEA have affirmed their joint commitment to move forward in a positive atmosphere, fully focused on creating a successful learning environment for the students, parents and community of Strongsville.

Out of respect for the ratification process and consistent with the Agency's longstanding policy on confidentiality, we shall not disclose any of the terms of the agreement.

Because of the sensitive nature of these discussions, FMCS will have no further comment on these proceedings at this time.

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, created in 1947, is an independent U.S. government agency whose mission is to preserve and promote labor-management peace and cooperation. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 10 district offices and 67 field offices, the agency provides mediation and conflict resolution services to industry, government agencies and communities.

Web site: www.fmcs.gov   

SOURCE Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service

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Marian Wright Edelman Statement on the Failure of the Background Checks Plan

WASHINGTON, April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Marian Wright Edelman, president of the Children's Defense Fund, released the statement below on the failure of the Manchin-Toomey Amendment to Senate Bill 649, which would have helped keep children safe by keeping guns away from underage or dangerous persons:

"The failure of the background check plan in the Senate is a moral failure of great magnitude because of what it says of our values as a nation. Once again the safety of our children has been put on the back burner in service to the gun lobby. Do we truly value guns more than the lives of our children?

Between 1963 and 2010, an estimated 166,500 children and teens died from guns on American soil, while 52,820 U.S. soldiers were killed in action in the Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq wars combined. I join the parents of the children who were killed in Newtown and the parents of all the children and teens killed by gun violence in saying enough.

When will the number of children killed by guns in this country be enough to pass common sense gun safety laws?"

Learn more about our campaign to "Protect Children, Not Guns".

The Children's Defense Fund Leave No Child Behind^® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.

Contact:
Raymonde Charles, Press Secretary
202-662-3508 (office)
rcharles@childrensdefense.org

SOURCE Children's Defense Fund

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Governor Corbett Issues Statement on Resignation of Justice Orie Melvin

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett today issued the following statement on receiving a letter of resignation from State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin:

"I believe the decision by Justice Orie Melvin to resign is the correct one. This will save taxpayers the time and expense of impeachment proceedings in the House and Senate, and allow legislators to focus on other important issues.''

Corbett has 90 days from May 1, the date the vacancy occurs on the state Supreme Court, to submit a nominee to fill the vacancy. This nominee, upon confirmation by two-thirds of the Senate, will serve until Jan. 5, 2016. A successor will be elected in November 2015.

"I will submit a nominee to the Senate as soon as practical within that time frame to bring our Supreme Court back to its full complement of seven justices," Corbett said.

Media contact:  Janet Kelley, Governor's Office, 717-783-1116
Ron Ruman, Department of State, 717- 783-1621

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

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Governor Corbett Issues Statement on Resignation of Justice Orie Melvin

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett today issued the following statement on receiving a letter of resignation from State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin:

"I believe the decision by Justice Orie Melvin to resign is the correct one. This will save taxpayers the time and expense of impeachment proceedings in the House and Senate, and allow legislators to focus on other important issues.''

Corbett has 90 days from May 1, the date the vacancy occurs on the state Supreme Court, to submit a nominee to fill the vacancy. This nominee, upon confirmation by two-thirds of the Senate, will serve until Jan. 5, 2016. A successor will be elected in November 2015.

"I will submit a nominee to the Senate as soon as practical within that time frame to bring our Supreme Court back to its full complement of seven justices," Corbett said.

Media contact:  Janet Kelley, Governor's Office, 717-783-1116
Ron Ruman, Department of State, 717- 783-1621

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

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