PEORIA, Ill. — The Peoria Federation of Teachers and representatives of Peoria Public Schools negotiated until 1:30 a.m. Thursday, but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement.
“We are incredibly disappointed this morning. Thank you to all our members and supporters in the community. Your support gives us strength to continue our work,” Union President Jeff Adkins-Dutro said in a release early Thursday morning.
Leaders with the district have said the federal mediator involved in these labor talks is willing to continue meeting with both sides “as many times as needed”.
This latest round of mediated contract talks comes in the wake of a vote by the vast majority of PFT Local 780 members to approve strike authority, a move which the union chapter President Jeff Adkins-Dutro said was not taken lightly.
He and other union representatives have repeatedly insisted they do not want to strike, but that having the authority to announce a work stoppage will help them achieve their aims during contract talks.
Teachers have also expressed serious reservations in recent days about what they see as earlier misrepresentations of the district’s finances.
New District 150 School Board President Martha Ross has promised full transparency as the bargaining process continues.
PFT negotiators will meet again in a third mediation session with PPS representatives on Thursday, September 15.
