Schools
Strike Averted After Tentative Agreement Reached In D228
A tentative contract agreement is in place between the Bremen Township High School District 228 and Joint Faculty Association.
MIDLOTHIAN, IL — It now appears a teacher's strike in Bremen Township High School District 228 will be avoided after the board of education and the Joint Faculty Association have come to a tentative agreement on a new contract. Official statements from both sides confirmed the agreement Thursday morning after returning to the negotiating table earlier this week.
Details will become available to the public after the contract has been voted on and finalized, D228 Public Relations Specialist Jamie Bonnema said.
The union had just a few days ago set a Monday, Jan. 27 strike date after more than a year of negotiations with the board and working without a contract since August 1.
Find out what's happening in Oak Forestfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"We are happy to have an agreement in place so we can get everyone focused on the students and respect the tax payers," District 228 Superintendent Dr. Bill Kendall said. "We are relieved to be able to get back to the business of helping students."
The JFA said in a statement that the tentative agreement means the scheduled Jan. 27 strike is "suspended pending potential ratification" by the school board and the entire union membership.
Find out what's happening in Oak Forestfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The union has 353 members who are teachers, social workers, counselors, nurses, psychologists, librarians and speech and language pathologists working at the four District 228 high schools: Oak Forest, Bremen, Hillcrest and Tinley Park.
“We are pleased that we were able to find common ground with the district," JFA President Greg Fitch said. "We now have a tentative agreement that will put our students first and allows us to have a solid plan for the future.”
A ratification vote by the union is expected to come the week of Jan. 27, according to the JFA statement.
"The educators of District 228 are relieved that we may continue focusing all of our efforts at this time on our students’ instruction without the immediate concern of a potential work stoppage."
Should the agreement be approved by the union, it will then go to the board of education for final approval.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
