By Matt Fredmonsky
Record-Courier staff writer
Teachers in the Field Local School District gave the OK for its contract negotiating team to issue a strike notice if negotiations with district administrators reach an impasse.
The approximately 141 members of the Field Local Teachers Association voted Wednesday night to authorize the strike notice. The FLTA released a brief statement late Wednesday about the vote.
“The FLTA membership overwhelmingly approved the vote to authorize the negotiations team to issue the 10-day strike notice to the board of education, if necessary, to ensure a fair and equitable contract,” according to the statement.
Mary Ann Powers, a spokeswoman for the FLTA, said the decision to issue a strike notice now lies with the members of the negotiating team, which includes the president and vice president of the FLTA, three teacher members and the association’s attorney.
“It’s their decision now,” she said.
Powers said the teacher’s association is required by law to give the board 10 days notice, but she was unsure if the 10 days are defined as calendar or business days.
Pay raises, retirement benefits and individual costs for health care coverage are reportedly among the contract sticking points.
Negotiators on both sides met Wednesday for several hours but were unable to reach a deal. A negotiation session has been scheduled for today, and the Field Board of Education also plans to meet in executive session today to discuss the negotiations. The groups have been in discussions since April.
Field Superintendent Dave Brobeck said earlier this week that schools will remain open if the district’s teachers strike.
School administrators in Wadsworth are facing a similar situation. The 285 members of the Wadsworth Education Association voted this month to issue a 10-day strike notice. Teachers there plan to strike Tuesday if an agreement is not reached.