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Politics & Government

Geneva School Board: Agreement Reached on 1st Year; Latest Offer to Be Posted Today

Another negotiation session is set for Sunday.

School District 304 issued a press release and eblast at around 12:05 p.m. Friday indicating the board made "substantial movement" during a 10-hour Thursday night negotiating session and questioning a reason for a strike.

The Board of Education and Geneva Education Association reached an agreement on the first year of the contract.

"With the current school year resolved, the Board of Education does not understand the GEA’s urgency to strike, as the union is effectively walking out over issues that would not take effect until the 2013-14 school year," the press release says.

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The board disagrees with the statement in the press release issued earlier today (Friday) by GEA President Carol Young that it “rejected [the GEA’s] offers of compromise.” 

Here is the press release in full:

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Negotiations Update Press Release 

The Board of Education and the Geneva Education Association continued negotiations for 10 hours on Thursday afternoon and evening with the help of a federal mediator. The parties also met for 8 hours on Tuesday in an effort to negotiate a new contract.

Upon ending negotiations Thursday, the Board of Education and GEA had come to agreement on all substantial issues relating to the first year of the new contract, as acknowledged by union President Carol Young in her Nov. 9 statement. With the first year of the contract effectively settled, and the federal mediator unable to meet on Monday due to the national holiday, the board agreed to meet on Tuesday, Nov. 13, having no indication that a strike would be called for Monday. 

With the current school year resolved, the Board of Education does not understand the GEA’s urgency to strike, as the union is effectively walking out over issues that would not take effect until the 2013-14 school year. 

Contrary to the GEA’s characterization of the Board of Education as having “rejected [the GEA’s] offers of compromise,” the board feels it has negotiated in good faith and has made substantial movement in its offers. The latest offer given to the GEA on Thursday will be posted later today on the district’s website

With the news of the GEA’s intent to walk off the job on Monday, Board President Mark Grosso reached out to union President Carol Young and scheduled a negotiating session for Sunday. The board remains committed to negotiating an agreement that is good for students, fair to teachers and fiscally responsible. 

Updates on the negotiations process and strike planning will continue to be posted on the board’s negotiations webpage and communicated to families through the district’s emergency notification system. 

 

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