U-46 contract talks still going

Elgin Area School District U-46 officials have scheduled three additional bargaining dates to hammer out a new contract for teachers working under the terms of the expired agreement.

The previous three-year contract governing the state's second largest teacher's union expired Aug. 19.

U-46 officials said they remain cautiously optimistic that the union and district will reach a tentative agreement soon.

Earlier this month, U-46 officials said they were optimistic a new contract would be complete before the first day of school.

U-46 students returned to class Wednesday.

"The issues we are discussing do not have easy solutions," U-46 attorney Patrick Broncato said in a written statement, "but the negotiations teams are working diligently to resolve areas of interest to both parties."

The additional negotiation dates have been scheduled for Sept. 4, 5 and 6. Bargaining teams met twice over the weekend.

In a joint statement, union and district officials called the recent sessions "productive," but declined to release specific information.

Earlier this month, bargaining teams completed a draft of a new teacher assessment plan.

The U-46 health care committee, consisting of teachers, administrators and union officials, also recently recommended a new third-part administrator for its health care program.

During the last round of negotiations three years ago, employees agreed to a new health care plan.

Among the most controversial aspects of the negotiations, the new health care plan has significantly reined in insurance costs.