D146 Teachers Vote To Strike If No Contract Deal Reached: IL Federation Of Teachers

TINLEY PARK, IL — A strike is one step closer if District 146 teachers and district administrators can't reach a deal on a contract, the Illinois Federation of Teachers said Friday.

The certified teaching staff of District 146 have filed official Intent to Strike paperwork with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, following a strike vote taken by members of Tinley Council of Local 604, IFT/AFT earlier this week, the organization said.

Of its 232 members, 230—or 99 percent—voted to strike if a deal can't be reached.

The announcement comes days after teachers rallied ahead of a Sept. 8 Board of Education meeting. Negotiations have been ongoing between the District 146 Educators Council (Local 604) and the district's board of education since February, according to the Illinois Federation of Teachers. The parties have met 10 times over the last six months, including twice with a federal mediator, district officials said. The most recent contract, which covers approximately 246 teachers, expired on July 31.

Compensation and retirement benefits remain at the crux of bargaining issues, IFT said.

In a statement to Patch Friday, District 146 officials said that since the Monday meeting, the board has made multiple new offers to the union, including on Tuesday morning and again Friday morning. Its latest offer includes raises of 6 percent for each of the next three years and makes the current retirement incentive a benefit with a 10-year eligibility window. The union’s counteroffer was still at 7 percent raises for the next three years, the district said.

Six percent is the maximum the district can offer without incurring Teachers' Retirement System penalties, officials said. By avoiding TRS penalties, taxpayer money goes directly to students, teachers, and schools rather than to a state agency, according to the district. A contract with three 6 percent raises is higher than any district included in the Board’s or Union’s lists of comparable districts, officials said.

Officials said they have made other concessions throughout the bargaining process, including 14 sick days (previously 12), three bereavement days per occurrence (previously two per year), $2,000 annually in lieu of medical insurance, life insurance equal to a teacher’s annual salary (previously capped at $20,000), and a $100 per sick day buyback at retirement (previously $50).

“Given that the raises offered by the Board are the highest we’ve seen and higher than any shared by the union, we are surprised and disappointed to be at this point,” said Dr. Jeff Stawick, Superintendent. “However, we remain committed to finding a solution that benefits both the teachers and the taxpayers and minimizes the educational disruption for our students.”

The union, leaders say, throughout the process "has been forced to bargain against itself repeatedly in order to find a path to progress, revising our proposals over and over again, to only be met with the same 'no.'"

District 146 Educators Council President Eileen Von Borstel contends that the union’s current contract penalizes teachers who work past retirement age, putting drastic limits on whether the district can retain experienced teachers. In addition, teacher compensation is towards the bottom when compared to neighboring districts, they say.

“Teaching should be a full-time job that earns full-time pay, but more than half of us have to work second and third jobs,” said Von Borstel. “It’s exhausting. Our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions—and without a fair contract, we worry that these conditions just aren’t sustainable to ensure a strong future for our students and the district.”

While the teachers' vote earlier this week does not mean a strike is imminent, it does mean that the District 146 Educators’ negotiating team has the support of members to call a strike if there is no other path to an agreement at the bargaining table.

"This Board of Education has pushed us far enough,” said Von Borstel. “The district has the funds to ensure we can recruit and retain high quality educators, but the Board of Education is refusing to use that money to invest in our students and the people who teach them. We have no choice but to move towards a strike if they refuse to bargain a fair contract.”

The federation states that the district has double the ISBE-recommended amount of cash on hand. The District 146 Educational Fund, they state, grew by more than $3 million last year alone—"much more than enough to cover the difference between the union and board proposals."

In a previous statement, the district said it hopes to reach a "fair and equitable contract."

"The Board of Education recognizes and appreciates the many contributions made by District 146 teachers," a statement reads. "Their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to student success are evident. Through creativity, collaboration, and a passion for teaching, they consistently deliver high-quality instruction and strive to become leaders in their field. District 146 teachers also play a vital role in shaping a positive school culture. Their engagement beyond the classroom helps build strong connections with students, families, and the community.

"The Board has long valued its positive and collaborative relationship with the Teachers Union. We remain hopeful that this partnership will continue through a fair and equitable contract that reflects the mutual respect and shared goals of both parties."

The union stands ready to bargain. The earliest they can strike is Sept. 22.

The Board believes their current proposal is generous to teachers and keeps taxpayer interests in mind, a statement reads. They are "confident the proposal will help the District continue to attract and retain high-quality educators for all of our schools."