Mediator can't soothe District 211 labor talks

Despite the presence of a federal mediator, administrators from Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 and its teachers still can't agree.

The two sides met for most of the day Thursday, attempting to renegotiate teachers' raises over the final year of the current three-year pact, which expires in June.

"No progress was made," said District 211 Superintendent Roger Thornton.

The impasse was reached in August, when the union requested mediation. While informal talks may continue over the 2007-08 contract, union President John Braglia doesn't expect the two sides to formally convene until January, when negotiations on the new contract for 2008-09 will commence.

A strike or another "job action" -- like picketing or wearing buttons -- remains a possibility, Braglia said.

"I'm not threatening a strike," he said. "I have options as ways to raise the board's awareness to the seriousness of this matter."

The current three-year contract, negotiated in 2005, allowed for the final year to be reopened to allow for a larger salary increase. Under current terms, the approximately 1,100 unionized teachers get a 2 percent increase this year, not including step increases for experience. According to the 2007 state school report card, District 211 teachers make about $85,766 annually.

The board's current base salary increase offer is 3.4 percent, as detailed on its Web site. Braglia said a fair increase would be 3.8 percent, with a lump-sum "kicker" to bring the final increase to 4.1 percent, which would be in line with the board's budget, adopted last month.

The budget set aside money for a 4.1 percent salary increase. Only board members Bill Lloyd and Anna Klimcowicz voted against the budget, saying the increases were too high and not what were promised to taxpayers.

Braglia maintains his teachers accepted a lower salary increase when initially agreeing to the contract, and now are entitled to a fair salary increase.

Thornton and the board remain adamant, saying the projected consumer price index of 2.5 percent restricts what they can offer teachers.

Braglia also said the school board is trying to force teachers into signing a multiyear contract, which would ease the transition. Thornton announced his retirement, effective 2009, and the board doesn't want to deal with a new superintendent while negotiating a new contract, Braglia said. Teachers would need more concessions than an adequate salary increase to agree to multiple years, he added.

The two sides also disagree about lump-sum payments. Braglia said lump sums would ultimately decrease what teachers could earn in future years.

District 211 is the state's largest high school district, and Braglia reiterated he wants salaries more in line with what's paid in neighboring schools like Northwest Suburban High School District 214, whose teachers will earn 4.25 percent hikes this year.