HARDIN COUNTY - Despite cold weather conditions, teachers and staff in Hardin County took to the picket line on Tuesday, the first day of their official strike during a lengthy contract negotiation.

Superintendent Ernie Fowler said negotiations started in June and for the first time included educational support staff and not just Hardin County teachers.

In an official release by the school district, it was noted that major contract negotiation obstacles have centered on finances.

The release states that the union is demanding the school board raise one specific employee's salary from $13.33 per hour to nearly $20 per hour, a $10,000 pay raise.

The union is also demanding, according to the release, that the district pay 100 percent of health insurance costs for new educational support staff. That addition would cost the district $250,000 over the three years of the contract.

"The board has taken a very firm position," Fowler said. "We are not going to the taxpayers for a big increase in property taxes to support employee salary and benefits. We asked them how much their proposal was going to be."

Fowler said the increases proposed by the union would mean an additional $1 million over the next three years.

"I don't see anyways possible a school district of our size and with our finances can meet that demand," he said.

Marinus Van Kuilenburg works through the Illinois Communication Association and has been acting as a field representative for the Hardin County Teachers Association and the union, in cooperation with the Illinois Education Association.

"We disagree with the way that the district portrays the finances that would be necessary to fulfill our demands," Kuilenburg said. "This $1 million figure is not a very correct figure."

Kuilenburg said the union has made changes to its proposal, changes that are not reflected in that million-dollar figure.

"We are ready to go back to the negotiating table but the board doesn't want to meet with us until Monday," he said.

The next negotiation meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday.

Fowler said there are approximately 650 students, 47 teachers and 32 support staff at the one school building that houses students in grade levels kindergarten through high school.

In an official release, the school district alleged the timing of the strike was an attempt by teachers to use students as "pawns."

"The employees have worked all year without a contract but decided to go on strike on the first day that students are to be given the Illinois Standardized Assessment Test schedule," the release stated. "You also have to question why teachers would go on strike at the same time the Scholar Bowl, WYSE Academic Team and FFA Team are scheduled for state competitions."

Kuilenburg said it is a mere coincidence that the strike takes place during those academic activities.

The superintendent said school will resume on Tuesday if an agreement is reached in time to notify parents and students. School has been called off until then.

tara.fasol@thesouthern.com / 351-5824

Details

In an official release by the school district in Hardin County, the various items involved in contact negotiations were outlined. Those items include:

Union demands for an increase in sick leave from 10 days to 18 days, for any educational support staff hired after July 1, 2004.

Union demands of a 6.5 percent pay raise for educational support personnel in the first year of the three year contract.

Union demands a pay raise of $1,900 to $2,600 per teacher and for each year of the three-year contract. The board offered a salary increase to teachers between $1,300 and $1,600 a year for each teacher.

Union demands for 100 percent of health insurance to be paid for 16 additional support staff, costing the district $250,000 over the three years of the contract. The board offered to pay $395 a month for each employee's health insurance.