Day 3 For Waukegan Teachers Strike; Hinsdale Teachers Next?

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Teachers and school district officials in Waukegan planned to meet on Monday in an effort to reach a contract agreement that would end a strike entering its third day.

WBBM Newsradio's Regine Schlesinger reports, after a weekend with no talks, negotiators for Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 and the Lake County Federation of Teachers Local 504 were going back to the bargaining table Monday morning.

The dispute revolves around pay, health care benefits, and working conditions.

The district has claimed the raises sought by teachers would bankrupt the district, but union leaders have denied that, saying the district has a $37 million surplus.

Classes have been canceled for 17,000 students at 23 elementary, middle, and high schools in Waukegan while teachers are on strike.

The Waukegan Park District, the Waukegan Public Library, and the Boys and Girls Club have been offering alternative programming for students while the strike continues.

Meantime, high school teachers in west suburban Hinsdale have filed a notice of intent to strike, after overwhelming the district's latest contract offer.

Teachers in Hinsdale Township High School District 86 filed their 10-day strike notice on Friday, meaning they could walk off the job on Oct. 14 if a deal isn't reached.

CBS 2's Pam Jones reports most of the students in the district attend school here at Hinsdale Central High School.
The school board says teachers average some of the highest total pay in the Chicago area, but the teachers' association says they're also fighting for the lowest paid.

"Right now, we have some of the highest compensation in Chicagoland. Our average total compensation is $111,000 and we're offering 2.8 percent on top of that," said Richard Skoda/Hinsdale High School Board.

"They like to fix it on that big number and the reality is that a third of our teachers are at the other end of the salary scale and of course that salary is much lower," said Mike Palmquist of the Hinsdale High School Teachers Association.

Both sides are scheduled to meet Monday night. No decision is expected on whether or not teachers will strike.