UPDATE: 7:07 p.m.
PEORIA, Ill. — By an overwhelming majority in the affirmative, Peoria Federation of Teachers Local 780 members have approved strike authority in a vote held late Thursday.
The decision followed a roughly two hour long gathering of members, which had been scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. Local teachers’ union President Jeff Adkins-Dutro tells 1470 & 100.3 WMBD News that with just minutes left to go before voting ceased, just after 6:30 p.m., the count was 739 votes in favor of strike authority and 7 votes against.
Adkins-Dutro says there are a total of 882 members in the local union chapter.
Strike authority would give union negotiators more leverage as they prepare to sit down with Peoria Public Schools District 150 administrators next week for another bargaining session, scheduled to include a federal mediator.
It would also give union negotiators the authority needed to give ten days’ notice of a strike.
PPS 150 Board President Martha Ross has said the federal mediator is willing to sit down with both sides “as many times as necessary.”
Last week, PFT Local 780 accused PPS 150 administrators of derailing talks by misrepresenting district revenue and budget numbers in earlier negotiating sessions.
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UPDATE: 5:12 p.m.
PEORIA, Ill. –Peoria’s new Public School Board President is promising transparency as bargaining talks continue and a potential strike vote is made by union teachers Thursday.
New Board President Martha Ross says the federal mediator helping in contract talks is “willing to meet as many times as necessary”
The next federally mediated meeting is scheduled for September 7, next Wednesday.
As part of a release to local media today, Ross notes that any potential teacher strike could just as likely fall on-or-around the same time District 150’s fall break is scheduled to happen anyway.
The fall break is scheduled for Oct. 10 thru 21, 2022.
She says, by law, no strike can happen until at least the middle of the first week of October.
In an emailed statement Thursday, Ross added she remains “hopeful” for a fair settlement and promised full transparency about school administrators’ actions in the coming weeks.
Last week, Peoria Federation of Teachers Local 780 accused PPS 150 administrators of derailing talks by misrepresenting district revenue and budget numbers in earlier negotiating sessions.
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PEORIA, Ill. — The Peoria Federation of Teachers will hold a strike authorization vote on Thursday, ahead of a second meeting with a federal mediator.
Earlier this week, the union announced plans for the strike authorization vote, even after Local 780 president Jeff Adkins-Dutro told WMBD’s Craig Collins last week a strike is not optimal.
Adkins-Dutro says a strike is still a last resort, but the union has to prepare for one no matter what happens.
Matt McCaw, Local 780 negotiator, says in addition to security, better pay is a top issue.
If a strike is approved, the union, at any point, could notify Peoria Public Schools it would hit the picket lines within ten days.
Thursday’s vote is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
