Still time to avert teacher strike in Dist. 211

Fremd High School guidance counselor Suzanne Adamski recalls a time when the Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 community was closer knit.

Now, they couldn't be much farther apart. Bargaining teams for the school district and the teachers union will meet with a federal mediator today, still hoping to reach a settlement before Thursday, when teachers have called a strike.

Union President John Braglia said he'll call a union meeting for Wednesday night, where teachers will vote over the latest offer the district tenders. Either the union will adopt a new contract, or they'll strike the next day.

District 211 has said it will not attempt to hold classes if there is a strike.

Adamski isn't looking forward to the latter prospect. On Thursday, she stood with about 100 of her picketing co-workers in front of the district's Palatine headquarters.

"It used to be family here," she said.

Communication has broken down between teachers and the board, she said. She and other teachers blame a school board they say isn't looking at the big picture.

Board President Robert LeFevre, however, says the idea that communication is poor is more perception than reality.

"If that's their perception, that something, of course, we have to deal with and work on that," he said.

"But depending on who you talk to, people have different amounts of information about the talks and what's going on."

The last publicized positions were the union wanted a 3.8 percent raise for the 2007-08 school year; while the district offered 2.5 percent. Talks started in spring and broke down in August.

Teachers say district officials promised them more when they agreed to the current three-year contract that expires in July. That contract has a provision to renegotiate the salary increases for the contract's final year.

Teachers aren't receiving base-salary increases for 2007-08, but have step increases based on experience and education, for which 73 percent of teachers qualify, according to the district.

District 211, with five high schools and more than 12,800 students, is the state's largest high school district based on enrollment. Average teacher pay in 2006 was $84,185, while starting teachers with bachelor's degrees earn about $44,000 in the district. Teachers with the most education and experience top out at about $107,000.

Adamski said she's never turned away a troubled kid needing counseling because she was off the clock. She said teachers routinely work more than their scheduled office hours, something some in the public don't understand.

Other teachers are concerned about class sizes and the return of programs. A 2005 tax-rate increase approved by voters was supposed to many save extracurricular activities. Teachers believe they sacrificed their salaries in 2005 to help the district, and now deserve what they were promised now that the district is on firmer financial ground.

Jerome Sara, whose son graduated from Fremd High School in Palatine, said he appreciates the teachers who educated his son, but doesn't see their demands as realistic. He doesn't side with teachers who complain about increased contributions to health-care plans.

"I don't see how they have to be a special class," Sara said. "I would be willing to bet (Motorola) employees not only share in the health-insurance premium, but would be obligated in some shape or form a certain number for co-pay."

The union has taken two "no confidence" votes against Superintendent Roger Thornton who helped negotiate the 2005 contract. They blame the board and district for the current predicament.

Former Superintendent Gerald Chapman left in 2001 after 11 years in the post. He said a strike would challenge loyalties.

"The toughest test will be the relationships between people that enter the classroom and school and those who don't," he said.

Recent developments:

• Oct. 9: Session with federal mediator fails to reach tentative agreement.

• Oct. 19: Union files intent-to-strike papers.

• Oct 25: Teachers picket before board meeting.

• Oct. 30: First day after intent-to-strike papers were filed that union could legally set a strike date.

• Nov. 1: District 211 administrators and union officials both say some progress made at bargaining session with federal mediator, and set another date for negotiations. Still, union sets strike date for Thursday.

• Today: 8 a.m. negotiations with mediator.

• Wednesday: Union members vote on latest district offer tendered.

• Thursday: Strike to begin. Students are instructed to call a hotline activated at 6 a.m. that tells them whether to report to classes. Hotline: (847) 755-6635. Web site: www.d211.org