Watch CBS News

Waukegan Teachers Set For Strike Thursday Morning If Deal Not Reached

(CBS) -- Negotiators from the teachers Union and a Lake County school district met with a federal mediator Wednesday night to head off a strike in the northern suburbs.

Waukegan School District 60 has about 25 campuses, and a strike could affect 17,000 students, reports CBS 2's Pamela Jones.

District representatives and the union representing employees met all day at Lake County Federation of Teachers Local 504 headquarters. The goal was to allow a federal mediator help both sides iron out their wish lists in areas like salaries and benefits.

The union says some 1,200 teachers, classroom aides and other workers have been working without a contract since June 30. Some of the main sticking points are salaries, benefits, the length of the work day and number of school days.

"We offered the board to just deal with salary. They refused," said Mike McGue, Local 504 President. "The board seems to not know how to negotiate."

The district says it has officially asked for more time to delay the strike for two weeks.

"It takes time to have the process work," said Tony Ficarelli, District 60 lead negotiator.

CBS 2 found a lot of Waukegan Brookside High School students wondering how their school year will play out if teachers and support staff go on strike Thursday.

"There's just so much that I would rather be doing in a school. I've had so many teachers tell me I'd rather be in school teaching my class. Nobody wants to be out of the classroom," said Kenneth Kidwell, a Waukegan student.

"Neither of them are doing anything to help the students. It's just about money and what they want. You just want to go to school. You just want to get an education," said Kyra Lyons.

Ficarelli calls the date chosen to start this strike unnecessary. He says progress is being made.

The union says they've started every year for the last four without an acceptable contract and that time has run out.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.