Informal Dist. 211 talks aim to halt strike

Behind the rhetoric of labor negotiations at Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211, the two sides continue to talk informally, suggesting there's still hope of averting a teachers strike.

Though no formal negotiations between the teachers union and the district have been scheduled, the two sides remain in contact, Superintendent Roger Thornton and school board President Robert LeFevre both said.

Talks started in May but broke down in August after teachers asked for a 3.8 percent base-salary increase for the 2007-08 school year.

The district has called a 2.5 percent base-pay raise its final offer; the union has said it won't accept that.

Thornton said Tuesday he'd like a federal mediator to return and help bring the sides together.

A mediator presided over talks on Oct. 9 but did not break the impasse. Thornton wouldn't comment on when and if formal talks would restart.

"We remain available and willing to bargain at any time," he said.

Union President John Braglia wouldn't confirm whether talks had resumed but said the union is also open to listen. He doesn't plan to make any more requests to return to the negotiating table, saying he already told the school board last week that the union will renew formal negotiations if the district will.

"I don't believe I have to do anything else," Braglia said, adding he thinks district overtures toward renewed talks are disingenuous.

The union could legally declare a strike any day now without taking further votes or notifying the district. And though no strike date has been announced, indicators point to any work stoppage starting next week, possibly Tuesday since Monday is an institute day with no student attendance.

LeFevre said both sides remain in some form of regular contact.

"Both sides are very receptive in continuing the open line of communication," he said.

Braglia didn't paint such a rosy picture of the district's willingness to negotiate, adding the board is seeking to discredit the union. He said the union is fully prepared to strike until the district offers teachers higher salaries.

"In the event of a work stoppage, we will wait until they come back with something higher than the 2.5 percent that was offered," he said.

Teachers are in the final year of a three-year pact that expires next July. It provided no base-salary raise for this school year but did allow teachers to renegotiate salaries for this year, the final year of the contract.

The teachers union represent about 1,100 teachers at Conant, Hoffman Estates, Palatine and Schaumburg high schools. It's the state's largest high school district.

The union plans picketing Thursday and Friday after school at the district offices at the McElroy Administration Center in Palatine.

Parents can call the district announcement line at (847) 755-6635 or check d211.org for any updates.