Evanston and Skokie students hoping for an extended Thanksgiving break woke up to some bad news Monday morning.
A possible teachers strike in the north suburb was averted at 4 a.m. Monday, according to a joint statement from the teachers’ union and the school board.
“As we approach this Thanksgiving weekend, we would like to express our sincere appreciation for your support and patience as we have worked through the process to reach a fair and equitable agreement,” the statement concluded.
Details of the tentative three-year contract agreement are not yet known. Schools in District 65 were in session Monday and Tuesday, but the tentative agreement is expected to be voted on by union members after the Thanksgiving weekend. It will go to the board for approval on December 5.
The two sides had been negotiating for nine months, and the union had triggered a state-mandated strike countdown about a month ago. Key sticking points were around teacher planning time, compensation and the contract’s length.
Last week, the latest proposals from both sides were posted publicly by the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board.
The tentative agreement will impact more than 700 teachers and nearly 8,000 students.
Monday’s announcement comes a month after Chicago dodged two teachers strikes, one from the Chicago Teachers Union and another from teachers working at UNO charter schools.
Becky Vevea covers education for WBEZ. You can follow her @beackyvevea.
