Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for September 3, 2006 STRIKE LOOMS IN GALATIA

UPDATE: NO STRIKE...tentative agreement reached Tuesday night...scroll down for story.

From the Harrisburg Daily Register...

GEA says it received no contract, strike date set for Sept. 6

By Brian DeNeal
Staff Writer

GALATIA - Linda Lemons, spokeswoman for the Galatia Education Association, said Galatia teachers did not receive a contract proposal from the Galatia Board of Education Friday. The teachers' strike date looms Sept. 6.

Earlier in the week, Superintendent Ron Driemeier said the board planned to present a proposal to the GEA Friday following a special meeting Thursday. He had said by presenting the proposal Friday, teachers would have plenty of time to consider it prior to the 5 p.m. Tuesday meeting between the board, the GEA and the federal mediator.

"We meet again Tuesday at 5 p.m. And hopefully it is their turn to give us a proposal," Lemons said.

Lemons said the board's previous proposal included a pay cut, unsatisfactory insurance and unsatisfactory retirement.

"I'm looking at a $400 pay cut and they are trying to take away part of my retirement," Lemons said.

Friday evening the GEA was meeting at the Galatia Community Center preparing it as a strike headquarters.

Lemons said the teacher's contract expired the first day of school. She said the teachers had been ready to enter negotiations prior to the third week of July, but were put off multiple times by the board.

"They have not been willing to negotiate with us," Lemons said.

Lemons hopes the salary, insurance and retirement concerns can all be settled Tuesday.

"No one wants to go on strike. We are willing to stay up all night, whatever we have to do," Lemons said.

The GEA don't consider their expectations unreasonable.

"What we are asking for is a minimal increase. We have already negotiated down to a very small amount," Lemons said.

The GEA asks the community to attend the Tuesday meeting at the Galatia High School

"We would like to ask everyone who can to support us Tuesday at 5 p.m. to come sit outside the meeting room and invite anyone to come show support one way or another," Lemons said.

Update from the WPSD TV Channel 6 website...

IL: No Strike at Galatia School

Brooks Ware,
WPSD NewsChannel 6

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

After five hours of negotiations Tuesday night, Galatia, Illinois School Administrators reached a tentative contract deal with teachers. If the two sides did not come to an agreement Tuesday night the teachers planned to strike.

The two sides aren't discussing specifics of the contract but teachers were asking for a salary increase, help with their insurance and they wanted to keep their retirement packages.

Students will be in school Wednesday and the two sides plan to vote on the contract once everything is in black and white. That could come as early as Wednesday afternoon.