Kaneland, teachers union schedule more bargaining sessions

Both sides of a teachers contract dispute in Kaneland District 302 are honoring the request of a federal mediator and refusing to comment on a six-hour bargaining session that began Thursday evening.

Bargaining teams from Kaneland District 302 and the Kaneland Teachers Association will meet again with the mediator Saturday, Oct. 18 at the district office, 47W326 Keslinger Road in Maple Park. An additional session has been scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 19 if needed.

"The mediator affirmed the fact that mediation is a confidential process," said Superintendent Charles McCormick, when asked to comment on the session.

"Due to the nature of the meeting, nothing can be discussed," said union spokesman Angie Bateman. "We are following the guidelines set up by the mediator."

Bateman is crisis coordinator for the teachers union and not part of the bargaining team. But she was on hand when about 100 people gathered for a show of support outside the district office Thursday before the session began. The crowd included members of the community as well as Kaneland teachers and teachers from other districts.

Bateman said the Kaneland teachers remain supportive of the bargaining team.

"They are acting as a very united group," she said. "We are going into mediation in the hope that we can reach an agreement. We continue to hope to reach a settlement as soon as possible."

The 360-member union voted 267-11 Sunday to file a 10-day intent to strike. The earliest that a strike could occur would be Oct. 16, but Bateman said that there must also be two mediation sessions before a strike is called.

Both sides say the dispute focuses on salaries and retirement benefits.

According to the Kaneland District Web site, the difference between the financial impact of proposals from both sides going into mediation was about $1 million. The Web site states that the cost of staffing the new middle school being constructed in Sugar Grove is $1.3 million.

Superintendent McCormick has stated publicly that the district intends to honor the "promise" to the community of opening the new middle school.

Bateman said the teachers union is updating its Web site www.keaiea.org. Also, anyone wishing to contact the union can e-mail KEAinfo@yahoo.com.

Correspondent John Johnston contributed to this report.