Dist. 211 replies to talk of strike
Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 administrators say the current contract prohibits teachers from declaring a strike, even if they're unhappy with salary negotiations.
"I suppose whether they can strike can be debated," Supterintendent Roger Thornton said. "I thought it was important to share what exactly the contract language was."
Reacting to union President John Braglia on Wednesday saying teachers could strike if salary needs aren't met, district officials Friday posted a response on the district's Web site. Thornton said the district has received "many" phone calls from parents since hearing about the increased possibility of a strike.
Union spokesman Jason Spoor said there is state precedent for teachers to strike under these circumstances. However, Spoor said the fact that the union requested a federal mediator last week to aid negotiations shows the teachers' willingness to reach an agreement. Spoor maintains the union isn't close to voting for a strike and doesn't want one.
"But if it gets to that, we will not be afraid to use that option," he said.
District 211 is the state's largest high school district, and the two sides just entered the final year of a three-year pact agreed on in 2005. The contract featured a clause to negotiate teachers' raise for the third year.
Union officials say they're frustrated with those talks. which started in January and broke down last month. They say the district's offer wasn't competitive with compensation in similar school districts such as Northwest Suburban High School District 214.
District 211 teachers received a 2.25 percent hike the first year of the current contract and a 2 percent increase in 2006-07, plus step increases for years of added experience.
In comparison, teachers in District 214 will see a 4.25 percent salary hike for this school year and 3.75 percent for next year.
Initially, there were negotiations to extend the contract to 2009. The board offered a 3.4 percent increase to base salary in 2007-08, a 2.5 hike in 2008-09, and a 2.5 percent increase in 2009-10, according to its Web site.
Thornton calls that offer fair, stressing raises be in line with the consumer price index, which is increasing at a rate of about 2.5 percent.
"We were all very serious when we made our commitment to the public that we live within our means and we would not be back to them for another referendum," Thornton said.
The union's Spoor says administrators got raises bigger than the CPI increase. And he said a contract extension as part of the negotiations is no longer on the table.
The union and the board are slated to begin talks on a new contract in January, and Spoor said depending on the results of current salary talks, future negotiations could turn contentious.
There's no timetable for when talks will resume, as the mediator has yet to be selected, Thornton said. Residents can find the district's comments at www.d211.org/bargaining_news_article.shtml.