CCSD 146 leadership and teachers union came to a tentative agreement Tuesday, less than a week before a strike was set to begin.
TINLEY PARK, IL — District 146 administrators and teachers have averted a strike, with a tentative agreement reached early Tuesday morning, the Illinois Federation of Teachers said Wednesday.
Last week, nearly all — 99 percent — of the district’s teachers had voted to strike if an agreement couldn’t be reached, with a deadline of Sept. 22.
“The District and the teachers union have reached a tentative agreement, averting a potential strike next week,” said Superintendent Dr. Jeff Stawick. “The District and Board are delighted by this positive outcome and remain committed to continued collaboration in support of our students and staff.”
RELATED
Parents Call For D146 Leadership To Make Teacher Contract Deal Happen
D146 Teachers Vote To Strike If No Contract Deal Reached: IL Federation Of Teachers
Details of the agreement will not be made public until it has been reviewed and ratified by the District 146 Educators Council. A ratification vote date has been set for October 1.
“We are so glad that we can now put this process behind us,” said District 146 Educators Council President Eileen Von Borstel. “It took longer than expected to reach a fair contract that I could present to my full membership, given the district’s strong financials. But we know that investing in teacher recruitment and ensuring teachers want to stay in our district their whole career, without restrictions, is how to boost retention and long-term district stability. Thank you to our students and parents for standing with us. We will always fight for the schools our students deserve.”
Negotiations had been ongoing between the District 146 Educators Council (Local 604) and the district’s board of education since February, according to the Illinois Federation of Teachers.
The parties had met 10 times over the last six months, including twice with a federal mediator, district officials said. The most recent contract, which covers approximately 246 teachers, expired on July 31.
