Labor Controversy Brewing At Montgomery County Jewish Day School

By Mike DeNardo

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A labor controversy is developing at a Jewish day school in the suburbs.

Teachers at the Perelman Jewish Day School have filed an unfair labor practices complaint with the NLRB, following the school's decision not to recognize the teachers union once their contract expires in August.

Perelman board member Aaron Freiwald says it was about flexibility, not finances. "The decision really comes down to fulfilling the mission that we have at our school and putting the children's interests first."

Perelman teachers have been unionized since 1976. Pennsylvania-American Federation of Teachers president Ted Kirsch says the school wanted a way to eliminate seniority and tenure.

"There is no basis of reality for this action -- other than that these people are anti-union."

Perelman has 300 students at campuses in Wynnewood and Elkins Park.  The school's board says the U.S. Supreme Court has held that federal labor laws don't apply to religious schools.