District 23 strike could begin Sept. 16
Prospect Heights Elementary District 23 teachers could go on strike as early as Sept. 16, according to union officials who on Monday said the district has been "unwilling to compromise" in their contract talks.
The Prospect Heights Education Association and the District 23 board of education met with a federal mediator for more than five hours on Friday night, but no deal was reached.
The union filed its intent to strike with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board on Monday, and according to a news release, the strike could begin Sept. 16. A vote to authorize a strike passed with 99 percent of union members supporting it last week.
"A strike is the last thing in the world we want to do," association President Bob Miller wrote in the release. "But the board's unwillingness to compromise has left us with no other choice. All we have wanted from the beginning is a fair agreement, one that will continue to protect the quality of the school district. But fairness has not been on the school board's agenda."
Sticking points between the two sides include salary and teacher retention.
After the negotiation session on Friday, school board President Mari-Lynn Peters said, "There are just so many different components we are working on. Slowly but surely we will get together and have a resolution soon."
Prospect Heights District 23 teachers have never gone on strike before, though they have come close during several previous contract negotiations.
Talks with the federal mediator are scheduled to continue at 6 p.m. Tuesday, as well as on Sept. 8, Sept. 12, Sept. 14 and Sept. 16, unless an agreement is reached earlier.
District 23 educates more than 1,500 students from Prospect Heights, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect and Wheeling. The Prospect Heights Education Association represents 150 teachers and educational support staff, whose contract expired June 30.