{"id":7363,"date":"2025-03-15T10:54:39","date_gmt":"2025-03-15T10:54:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/princetonillinois.com\/?p=7363"},"modified":"2025-03-15T10:54:39","modified_gmt":"2025-03-15T10:54:39","slug":"streator-elementary-teachers-union-to-take-strike-vote-jan-13-shaw-local-news-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/princetonillinois.com\/?p=7363","title":{"rendered":"Streator Elementary teachers union to take strike vote Jan. 13 – Shaw Local News Network"},"content":{"rendered":"


The Streator Education Association is conducting a strike vote at 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13. <\/span>(Tom Sistak)
The Streator<\/a> Education Association is conducting a strike vote at 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13.
The union for Streator Elementary School District 44 teachers said it showed up to meet in person Dec. 16 for a mediation session, but the school board\u2019s team and a mediator did not show up. The union said all mediation sessions were agreed to be in person at the district office.
\u201cThe team refused to allow the board to compromise the process and hide from their duty and responsibility,\u201d the bargaining team said in a statement to members.
District 44 Superintendent Kelli Virgil said the mediator pivoted to a virtual session Dec. 16 because of inclement weather. The board said it plans to continue to meet and negotiate. The union said no other mediation sessions have been scheduled until the board agrees to meet in person.
The board and the union have been negotiating since May 16 in the hopes of finalizing a new contract. The parties met six times before requesting the assistance of a federal mediator, Virgil said. The parties continued the process with the mediator on four occasions. A strike vote does not necessarily mean a strike will occur, as other formalities must be met, Virgil said.
The union is pushing for a total compensation package representing an estimated 34% increase in salary over three years, while seeking to change the eligibility criteria for part-time staff members to receive single coverage under the district\u2019s group health plan, Virgil said. The district currently pays 100% of the employee\u2019s premiums for employee-only coverage, with no out-of-pocket cost to the employee, the superintendent said.
\u201cAs stewards of the district\u2019s financial resources, the board remains committed to providing fair wages and benefits to its teachers and support staff while also ensuring that the contract is affordable [and] sustainable without imposing greater burdens on Streator taxpayers,\u201d Virgil said. \u201cThe board will not mortgage the future of our children\u2019s education by capitulating to selfish and unreasonable demands of the union.\u201d
Copyright \u00a9 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright \u00a9 2023 Shaw Local News Network<\/p>\n

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The Streator Education Association is conducting a strike vote at 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13. (Tom Sistak)The Streator Education Association is conducting a strike vote at 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13. The union for Streator Elementary School District 44 teachers said it showed up to meet in person Dec. 16 for a mediation session, but the school board\u2019s team and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t