The teachers union and administrators for Niles Township High School District 219 reached a tentative agreement on a five-year contract overnight, ensuring that classes will go on as scheduled today for 4,800 district students.þþThe two sides began a nine-hour negotiating session at 5 p.m. Sunday in district headquarters in Skokie and came to a resolution around 2 a.m., just hours before union members were set to strike.þþThe two unions representing 375 teachers and 170 support staffers at the district's two high schools, Niles North and Niles West, will take the tentative agreement to members for a ratification vote sometime this week, Kaine Osburn, spokesman for the unions, said early today after the settlement was reached. The unions have not yet set a date for the vote.þþThe district serves students in Skokie, Morton Grove, Niles and Lincolnwood.þþGoing into talks Sunday, the two sides had met with a mediator since August but remained divided over salary, health-care benefits and the length of the school day.þþOsburn and Bob Silverman, District 219 president, early today would not discuss details of the tentative pact, saying both sides agreed not to until union members had a chance to review it this week.þþÿThis is a terrific day for our kids who won't miss classes,ÿ Silverman said, adding that the new contract will benefit students. ÿWe're pleased the union was able to work with us to honor our pledge to the community to remain fiscally responsible.ÿþþOsburn said the settlement is fiscally responsible and ÿit will improve the district's financial stability compared to its present state.ÿþþÿWe are satisfied that the board has bargained fairly and worked with us to reach a fair settlement,ÿ Osburn said.þþBefore final talks began Sunday, Silverman said union officials had rejected a recent proposal which called for salary increases of 4.2 percent each year over the next four years and, in the fifth year, a hike of no more than 4.75 percent. Over the length of that proposal, the average teacher salary would have increased to $87,000 from $75,603.
Source: Chicago Tribune
