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Naperville Central construction delay continues

Naperville Unit District 203 lost another day of construction Wednesday as striking laborers negotiated with contractors.

Delays on the $87.7 million renovation at Naperville Central High School continue to concern administrators who worry the building won't be ready in time for the start of classes in August.

"What's becoming more apparent to us is the longer this goes the greater the jeopardy we're in in terms of the kind of irreparable harm to kids caused by their action," Superintendent Mark Mitrovich said.

There was a glimmer of hope Tuesday as nonstriking crews returned to Central, but Mitrovich said they were only on site for the morning and did not accomplish anything.

He said the district will move forward with filing a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, then potentially asking the courts for a temporary restraining order to force nonstriking union workers to resume construction.

Work came to a halt July 1 after the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150 and Laborers' District Council of Chicago and Vicinity went on strike. The groups are at odds with Mid-America Regional Bargaining Association and Excavators Inc. and were in talks Wednesday.

The project at Central, 400 W. Aurora Ave., includes a three-story addition that will house all major subject areas. The 3,000-student school also will get infrastructure upgrades, a new learning resource center, new athletic and music space, improved traffic flow and synthetic turf on its football field.

If the work slated for this summer is not complete by the time classes begin Aug. 25 the district cannot reopen the building. Officials are exploring options such as split shifts at Naperville North High School, petitioning the state Board of Education to delay the opening of classes or even using vacant space at the nearby Alcatel-Lucent campus in Lisle.

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