More than 50 educators, many wearing lanyards with the message “working without a contract,” made their presence known during a Park Ridge-Niles School District Board of Education meeting last week as contract talks between the teachers’ union and board continue.
The group, donning green T-shirts representing the Park Ridge Education Association union, did not address the school board, but filled Carpenter School’s north gym for the beginning portion of the board’s Sept. 23 meeting.
Teachers in District 64 have been working without a current contract since a one-year extension of the last contract expired at the end of June. Many have been wearing the same green T-shirts in the classroom since the new school year started.
Erin Breen, president of the PREA, described the teachers’ attendance at the meeting as “a demonstration of solidarity” amid contract talks.
“Although there has been some recent movement lately in negotiations, the process of negotiations has been drawn out for a long time,” Breen wrote in an email to Pioneer Press/Chicago Tribune. “PREA and its members are united in wanting a fair contract ….Teachers have been working under extreme conditions and stress and would like to see some recognition by the district when it comes to working conditions and compensation.”
Breen did not elaborate on what the union is seeking regarding work conditions and pay.
District 64 School Board President Denise Pearl on Friday described discussions on salary and health insurance as having gone smoothly and said COVID-19-related policies and procedures have not been sticking points.
“I think the administration knows COVID has been challenging for teachers,” Pearl said. “They are thinking about the profession because it’s been a challenge.”
While stating she could not discuss specifics of the proposed contract, Pearl said she is hopeful an agreement between the board and teachers will be reached soon.
“I believe it’s really close,” she said.
Pearl noted that the last contract ratified by the board occurred three months after the previous contract had expired.
The length of the new contract is also still being negotiated, though it could range from four to five years, she said.
The last teachers’ contract was ratified in 2016.
Last year, the board of education voted to extend the four-year teachers’ contract for one additional year after negotiations on a new contract were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Contracts for teacher assistants and support staff were also extended at that time.
The contract extension came with a 1.45% pay raise for teachers, according to the district.
On July 15, the District 64 Board of Education voted 4-2 in favor of another one-year extension of a labor agreement with the union representing teacher assistants.
