New Agreement May End Zion-Benton Township Teachers' Strike
ZION, Ill. (CBS) -- A tentative agreement may soon end a strike in the Zion-Benton School District in Lake County.
As WBBM Newsradio's Bernie Tafoya reports, Zion-Benton Township High School District 126 and striking teachers came to the tentative agreement after about 12 hours of talks that ended at 2 a.m. Tuesday.
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The 300 teachers and support staff who have been on strike since this past Thursday will vote on the agreement later Tuesday.
If the teachers approve the agreement, students will return to class on Wednesday. But there is no school on Tuesday for the 2,800 students who attend Zion-Benton Township High School and New Tech High at Zion-Benton East.
Even though they have been out of school several days, the students ultimately will not miss any class time. Four extra class days have been added to the school calendar to make up for the days lost by the strike.
Corinne McGue, president of the Zion Council of the Lake County Federation of Teachers, says she hopes the teachers ratify the agreement.
On the district Web site, school officials thanked their "stakeholders" for their patience.
The teachers' contract expired in July, and teachers have been working without one since. Health insurance and pay have been the major stumbling blocks.
