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Teachers in Geneva recently filed an intent to strike, but they can’t legally strike until Nov. 9.
By Pat Barcas
Staff Writer
Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012
GENEVA — A couple months into the school year, and another suburban district has filed an intent to strike. The Geneva Education Association cannot legally strike in Geneva School District 304 until Friday, Nov. 9.
The union and the district have been in negotiations since February, and new information shed by the district won’t do any favors for goodwill in the process.
Both sides posted their final offers to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board Oct. 26, but Geneva School Board President Mark Gross said in a district 304 press release issued Tuesday that teachers were already filing for a strike several hours before negotiations ended that day. Gross said strides had been taken and the district was close to a settlement with teachers.
“During that bargaining session, the board tendered a settlement proposal to union leadership at 2 p.m. The board’s proposal included, among other things: (1) a salary freeze for all teachers in year one, except those who qualify for lane movement due to additional education; (2) a 1.65 percent increase for all teachers in year two; and (3) a 2.75 percent increase for all teachers in year three … Upon receiving the board’s offer, the union team met privately until approximately 5:30 p.m., presumably for the purpose The main sticking points between the district and the union has been salaries. The teachers say the district has enough money in reserves for raises and has asked for a 1 percent raise in the first year, but the district wants a salary freeze.
The previous contract was three years and expired Aug. 15. Teachers have been working with 2011-12 pay levels since then. Both parties are to return to mediation with the help of a federal mediator Nov. 6.
Teachers posted on the GEA website that accepting a salary freeze would cripple the district and not allow it to attract quality teachers.
“The Board of Education’s negotiating team continued their stance with the GEA team that they are not willing to make any further offer unless the GEA agreed to a salary freeze. The teachers know that accepting such an offer would be detrimental to the long-term health of the educational environment in District 304, because of the inability to attract and retain true excellence in the teaching ranks over the coming years. The teacher contract is already lower than the surrounding districts, and this would compound that situation. With such a stance on the part of the board, the teachers felt they had no choice than to declare impasse,” the statement read.
Pat Barcas’ e-mail address is pat@foxvalleylabornews.com.