District 304 Teacher's Union OKs Strike

GENEVA, IL -- The teacher's union for District 304 has voted in favor of authorizing a strike after a recent round of "negotiations failed to produce a tentative agreement" between the Geneva Education Association and the District 304 Board of Education, according to a news release from the teacher's union. The Geneva Education Association is calling on District 304 to publicly post the most recent offers exchanged between the GEA and the District 304 Board of Education. The teacher's union authorized the strike on Sunday following a vote by its members.

The earliest a strike could occur would be October 31, according to the news release.

Contract talks began on February 15, and the District 304 teachers started the school year without a contract. The last four negotiations have been aided by a mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, according to a news release.

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“From the very beginning of these negotiations our association has maintained a commitment to reach an agreement that puts the district’s 5,800 students first; promotes a high quality education; is fair for the teachers; and is fiscally responsible to the community of Geneva,” said Kevin Gannon, president of the GEA. “We have been working to find common ground with the school board. We know the district has the financial ability to pay our teachers wages that are competitive with other districts of our caliber.”

The association’s call for public posting is a legal requirement under which both the GEA and the Board of Education are required to submit their offers to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board for public posting. In 14 days, the IELRB will post both offers on its web site if a tentative agreement has not been reached.

“A strike is the last thing we want and we are continuing to do everything in our power to avoid that possibility,” Gannon said. “The GEA is simply trying to attract and retain quality teachers to serve our students and maintain the standard of excellence we now provide to the students in Geneva. Under the school board’s proposals, Geneva teachers will continue to lag behind nearby districts in salaries and the gap will continue to grow. We do not want to keep losing our newer colleagues to neighboring districts.”

PHOTO VIA SHUTTERSTOCK