District 57, teachers agree to meet with federal mediator

Mount Prospect Elementary District 57 and its teachers union will meet with a federal mediator in hopes of resolving the final sticking points to a new labor contract, officials on both sides announced.

The district and the Mount Prospect Education Association, which represents teachers and all certified staff in the district, agreed to seek a mediator’s help April 28, a joint news release states.

The two sides opened talks on a new deal Sept. 13 and have met 22 times since, officials said. They have settled most issues, according to the joint statement, but compensation matters remain unresolved.

The mediator will come from the Federal Mediation and Consolidation Service, which provides assistance to local governments at no charge. Bargaining is on hold until a mediator is assigned.

The new deal will replace a five-year contract reached in December 2006 that provided teachers an approximately 22 percent salary increase over the life of the deal, increased extra duty stipends and gave retirement incentives for eligible teachers.

Talks on a deal come amid financial struggles for District 57. The school board in March voted to lay off 24 elementary school teachers, cut field trips and raise fees as part of an effort to reduce a projected $900,000 deficit in next year’s budget.

Those laid off were nontenured teachers who have been with the district less than four years, said Superintendent Elaine Aumiller. The moves could save the district between $880,000 and $1.5 million, depending on the ongoing labor talks.

Both board member Joe Leane and union President Cathy O’Connor O’Donnell expressed confidence they will agree on a new contract through ongoing bargaining.

District 57 educates about 2,000 students at four schools and employs about 170 teachers and other certified staff.