Teachers in Naperville School District 203 have voted in favor of authorizing a strike, though there are no immediate plans to strike at this time.
This news comes as students in the district are preparing for the first day of school on Thursday.
“Last thing we want to do” says NUEA leadership
The Naperville Unit Education Association has been bargaining with the Naperville 203 Board of Education since February over a new contract. The previous contract expired on June 30.
NUEA President Ross Berkley said in a statement that they hope to come to an agreement without having to strike.
“Listen, no one wants to go on strike. In fact, it’s the last thing we want to do. We’d much rather be in our classrooms with our students than out on the picket line. But we’re also willing to do whatever is necessary to make sure our students have the best education possible,” Berkley said.
He noted that if the group does decide to strike, they will give “plenty of notice” so parents and caregivers can make arrangements for childcare.
Latest contract offer by Naperville 203
Naperville 203 said in an update to the public on its website that its latest offer to the teachers’ union contains the following conditions:
- An average compounded raise of more than 10% for educators across the contract’s first two years
- 85% board-paid health insurance premiums
- A starting salary increase of over 5% in the contract’s first year
The district said with this offer, “Naperville 203 teachers would remain among the highest-paid and have the highest board-paid benefits in our region.”
It also noted that the current proposal would require budget cuts and/or reductions in staffing.
”Our focus remains on reaching an agreement that puts students first, honors the dedication of our exceptional educators, and reflects the values of the Naperville 203 community,” the statement read.
Issues of note for the NUEA
The NUEA said one of its key issues are the “drastic changes” the district has planned for the school day structure.
Naperville 203 had proposed an “Innovative School Experience” plan that would potentially change start and end times across all grade levels, while also creating changes within the course of the school day. Discussion on the proposal was tabled in April due to concerns raised by some parents, students, and faculty.
NUEA said the proposed change would cause “major shifts in the timing of after school activities and in some cases leave less learning time for students throughout the school day.”
Another issue noted by the union is salary. According to NUEA, Naperville 203 has a lower base salary than surrounding school districts.
The Naperville 203 board said in its latest statement that the latest proposal on that matter by NUEA, “would damage the district’s long-term financial health and put us on an unsustainable fiscal path.” The board claimed its latest offer to NUEA “provides a competitive increase in compensation while protecting our community’s money and investment in our local schools.”
NUEA contends that it has done “extensive research” to support its proposals, including a cost analysis showing the district has more than 300 days of cash on hand.
“We know the district can afford to meet our requests. We would never do anything that would hurt the financial health of the district because ultimately that would hurt our students and our educators,” Berkley said.
Negotiations to resume Aug. 19
Negotiations between NUEA and the Naperville 203 board are slated to resume on Tuesday, Aug. 19.
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