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Trico teachers file intent to strike; mediator called in

BY TARA FASOL, The Southern

Thursday, August 21, 2008 5:00 PM CDT

CAMPBELL HILL — The 66 members of the Trico Community Unit School District 176 certified-teaching staff are still in negotiations with the school’s board but have filed their intent to strike if a resolution doesn’t come in the next eight days.

Superintendent John DeNosky said Thursday that the teaching staff filed the strike intent on Wednesday and set the timeline at just ten days before they take their place on the picket line.

“That would be approximately Sept. 1, which is Labor Day, so maybe Sept. 2,” DeNosky said.

The conflict comes as the board and teachers attempt to renew the three-year contracts. DeNosky said six negotiation sessions took place over the summer and Wednesday night a federal mediator was called to intervene in the ongoing process.

“We met last evening with the federal mediator,” DeNosky said. “We went through and we have agreed on the bulk of the contract, most of it, but we are disagreeing on wages.”

The superintendent said an offer is on the table but declined to comment on exact figures.

“We really can’t go into that at the present time,” he said. “We are still in negotiations.”

DeNosky said he is hopeful that the matter can be resolved before the ten-day deadline in which the teacher’s have threatened to strike.

“We aren’t anticipating anything bad to happen but that is certainly a possibility,” he said.

A union representative for the teachers did not return several phone calls Thursday afternoon.