(St. Louis Public Radio) – School administrators and union leaders in East St. Louis are making plans to renew contract negotiations after two days of teacher strikes in East St. Louis.
Dave Comerford of the Illinois Federation of Teachers told St. Louis Public Radio a session with a federal mediator is scheduled for Monday. Comerferd said that means teachers will continue to strike at least through Monday.
After difficulties lining up staff on Thursday, the East St. Louis school district bussed its first through 12 graders to school Friday for breakfast, before giving them sack lunches and taking them home. A spokeswoman for the district said Friday meals and transportation will also be provided to Kindergartners beginning on Monday.
The school district also has compiled a list of community services offering meals and activities for students during the strike.
All of the more than 6,000 students enrolled in East St. Louis schools qualify for free and reduced lunch.
The local chapter of the teacher union has about 400 members.
Updated 12:30 p.m. Oct. 2 with latest from district- The East St. Louis teacher strike continues Friday. Both the school district and the local teacher union chapter say they’re waiting on the other side to come to the bargaining table.
As teachers picketed outside the district office Thursday afternoon, Superintendent Arthur Culver told reporters he wants the strike to end but he is waiting for the union to officially request a meeting with the mediator.
“We are more than willing to have another discussion. But we don’t want to be the ones to initiate that because we don’t have anything else to offer. We don’t have a new proposal. We have offered our best. Our pockets are empty,” Culver said.
Meanwhile, outside on the picket line local union president Sharon Crockett said she had already requested a meeting.
“What is the official process? We’ve done what we thought was to be done,” Crockett said. “Now if he has some hidden rules that we’re not aware of then he needs to share that because we’ve notified them by cell phone. I called them — both him and the mediator — so I don’t see why they’re using that as a reason not to meet.”
At issue is a contract proposal offered by the district that the superintendent projects will save East St. Louis at least $10 million over the next 10 years. The local chapter of the Illinois Federation of Teachers rejected that proposal Tuesday because it doubles the number of years it takes to reach the top of the pay scale, from 11 years to 21.
Culver said Thursday the increased length of time puts East St. Louis’ salary schedule in line with other area school districts.
“The average salary scale has 23 steps. We’re proposing 21. That’s still below average,” Culver said. “We simply cannot afford a salary scale with 11 steps. That is the biggest part of the problem.”
“Folks that are in Local 1220 think that we’re rich because we have a fund balance of $30 million,” Culver added. “That really sounds good. But when you put it in perspective $30 million is only four months of our operating expenses.”
Back on the picket line, Illinois Federation of Teachers spokesman Dave Comerford said East St. Louis needs the shorter salary scale to recruit and hold onto teachers.
“It will drive people away from this district,” Comerford. “This district is unique for a number of reasons. I don’t think it shocks anyone to hear that. There is no need for them to make this kind of cut.”
According to Crockett, East St. Louis had 29 unfilled teacher positions at the beginning of the school year. She said the district already has a hard time recruiting teachers and she’s concerned the new contract will make it more difficult.
On the first day of the strike the school district wasn’t able to provide meals to its more than 6,000 students. Culver said Thursday he now has the staff in place to bus students from first to twelfth grade to school Friday, feed them breakfast and send them home with sack lunches.
District spokeswoman Kelli Hawkins said Friday that if the strike continues Monday the meal program will be extended to also include Kindergartners. All students in the school district qualify for free or reduced lunch.