The
school board issued a statement on Aug. 17 that it believed the LFEA acted in
violation of the Labor Act by publishing its last offer and cost analysis,
prior to the parties meeting to review the proposals, and prior to the Labor
Board’s determination to authorize publication of the final offers.
“We
feel it is important our parents get information and go to the school board
meeting tomorrow night,” Gress said.
The
LFEA, however, will not be present at the school board meeting Tuesday, Gress said.
“It’s
between the parents and the board to have a discussion,” he said. “We’ll be
back at the high school (LFHS East Campus) ready to negotiate into the evening
so we can get this contract resolved before the strike.”
http://lakeforest.suntimes.com/15068959-781/lake-forest-union-levies-labor-charges.html
The
contract dispute between the Lake Forest Education Association teachers’ union
(LFEA) and Lake Forest Community High School District 115 intensified Monday
when the union filed an unfair labor practices claim against the Board.
This
complaint added to the contentious relationship developing between the Board
and the LFEA. With the teachers planning to strike in just over 18 hours, the
two sides are unable to agree on when to next meet.
http://lakeforest.patch.com/articles/teachers-file-unfair-labor-claim-against-board
They
could go on strike as early as Wednesday unless they reach an agreement with
the District 115 school board. The school says it has a contingency plan in
place.
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8807165
Julie
Morrison is the Democratic nominee to succeed retiring state Senator Susan
Garrett. The 29thDistrict will cover
parts of Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Highland Park, Lake
Forest, and Lake Bluff. Morrison is the
current West Deerfield Township Supervisor.
“Our
district is fortunate enough to have some of the most successful schools in the
state. Both the teacher’s union and the
school board owe it to our students to keep negotiating and let instruction
continue,” Morrison asked. “The two
sides have already agreed to so much, I am sure that they can reach an
agreement before the
contract expires. This is not a
small decision to be made and I am hopeful that both sides will stay at the
negotiating table – there are millions of dollars, teacher’s careers, and
thousands of students to consider.”
Teachers
in north suburban Lake Forest District 115 are threatening to go on strike at
12:01 Wednesday morning if a contract agreement is not reached.
If
the 148 Lake Forest High School teachers go on strike, this would be the first
in the schools history.
The
two sides are at odds over salary, insurance and pay scales for new teachers.
The
school board is offering an average of more than a 3% pay raise over the next
three years. The teachers want double that.
During
the meeting, school officials underscored that the salaries of Lake Forest
teachers are reportedly some the highest in the nation and among the top 2% of
the state, with some tenured teachers making 6 figure salaries.
The
teachers union called the Lake Forest education association is also fighting
for higher starting pay for new teachers and teachers do not want to pay more
into their health insurance.
Meanwhile,
Evanston/Skokie District 65 has approved a new 4-year contract for its
teachers.
Lake
Forest High School’s 150 teachers are set to picket as early as 7:30 a.m.
Wednesday should an agreement not be reached beforehand, said Lake Forest
Education Association spokesman and LFHS teacher Chuck
Gress.
LFEA
and school board negotiators are expected to meet tonight following the regular
Board of Education meeting.
Should
the teachers strike, the 1,718 students from Lake Forest, Lake Bluff and Knollwood will not be expected to attend school until
Monday. The building, however, will remain open to all students between 7:50
a.m. and 3:10 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. There will be no bus service, but
lunch will be available.
College
representative visits scheduled for Wednesday will continue and the resource
center will be open and staffed with representatives from CROYA (Committee
Representing Our Young Adults), Lake Forest Recreation and nurses from
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital.
http://lakeforest.suntimes.com/15088394-781/lake-forest-sports-to-halt-in-event-of-strike.html
The
Illinois High School Association has pulled the plug on Lake Forest’s plan to
compete in athletics if the teachers in the school district are out on strike.
The
teachers in School District 115 were scheduled to strike at 12:01 a.m. on
Wednesday. If that occurred, the first events postponed would be Wednesday’s boys golf match between the Scouts and Stevenson, and a
girls field hockey game between Lake Forest and New Trier.
All
postponed games can be rescheduled when school is back in session.
http://seasonpass.suntimes.com/news_article/show/177110?referrer_id=599124
We
were recently informed that the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) will
strictly enforce the rules regarding interscholastic contests. This ruling
prohibits us from participating in athletic competition if the teachers go on
strike. Every attempt will be made to reschedule any contests missed due to a
work stoppage. We are very disappointed with this decision,
http://gazebonews.com/2012/09/11/lake-forest-high-school-admin-updates-parents-on-strike-plan/
About
100 or so residents of District 115 attended the Lake Forest High School Board
of Education meeting on Tuesday night Sept. 11, including taxpayers with kids
in the school, taxpayers without kids in the school, and students. Also in the
audience were several reporters, cameramen and photographers from local and
Chicago media organizations. Everyone was eager to know if the LFHS teachers
would go on strike just a few hours later, at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 12.
Nine
residents stood up to speak during the public comment period: six in favor of
the District 115 board; two sympathetic to the teachers; and one mom who simply
asked the board and union to figure it all out one way or the other before
school starts on Wednesday morning.
http://gazebonews.com/2012/09/11/lake-forest-high-school-board-union-in-talks-tuesday-night/
“It’s
always so sad because nobody wins and the kids always suffer because of the
extracurricular activities they can’t participate in,” noted Chicago Sun-Times
columnist Rick Telander, a longtime Lake Forest
resident who had four children go through LFHS.
He
said the financial issues facing the District are a result of the housing
crisis that has caused so much damage throughout the country. “I know because
of the real estate meltdown of 2007, this is a ripple effect. The money from
old times just isn’t there.”
http://lakeforest.patch.com/articles/opinions-fly-on-possible-teachers-strike-01c13273
The
two sides disagree on wages, salaries and a two-tier pay system the school
board has proposed that will lower the pay scale for future teachers.
The
teachers union is opposed to the district’s offer of a two-tier pay system that
would lower pay for new teachers at Lake Forest High School.
“It
is the LFEA’s position that Lake Forest High School should remain a school
where knowledgeable, seasoned teachers spend their careers, not where rookies
come to learn their craft and move on to neighboring districts due to the
two-tier wage system,” the statement said.
http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/15082796-418/lake-forest-players-strike-out-if-teachers-walk.html
Teachers
say the district is running a budget surplus and fear if teachers’ salaries
don't remain competitive with surrounding north shore schools, students will
fall behind.
Evergreen
Park School District 124 and Argo High School in Summit are also facing
possible work stoppages.