By Pat Barcas
Staff Writer
Thursday, Oct. 18
     EVERGREEN PARK — No details have emerged just yet of the contract agreed upon by members of Evergreen Park School District 124, but the most important thing for parents is, children were back in school Monday morning.
     Teachers voted 136 to 43 on Monday to approve a new contract, with no details available until both sides approve it, a process that was scheduled for Wednesday night. The union represents 135 teachers and 70 support staff at the district’s one junior high school and four elementary schools. Board officials wanted a length of four years on the contract, teachers wanted three.
     The agreement was reached at about 4:30 a.m. Oct. 12, after negotiators were battling in an 11-hour session. About 1,800 students returned to school Monday, they missed eight days of school in the ten day long strike.
     “I think everybody is happy that it is over. We are all relieved that the kids should be back in school on Monday,” said District 124 Board President Kathy Rohan after the decision was made.
     The Evergreen Park Federation of Teachers union Friday posted a brief statement on its Facebook page, saying they are thankful for the agreement and that they miss students.
     “After 11 hours of negotiations, we have reached a tentative agreement. We are thankful that we will be back in school on Monday with our students. We have missed them,” read the statement.
     Students started class Aug. 23, with the strike interrupting their year on Oct. 2. The union wanted better pay, health care coverage, and retirement benefits.
     The Evergreen Park strike came as the Chicago Teachers Union and Lake Forest teacher strikes were over, and a new conflict heats up in Crystal Lake.
     Prairie Grove School teachers did not arrive at a contract agreement with a federal mediator last Friday, and the ensuing strike is impacting about 1,000 students.

Pat Barcas’ e-mail address is pat@foxvalleylabornews.com.