Streator Elementary requests Thursday talks with teachers, support staff union ahead of Friday strike date

The Streator Elementary School Board is requesting the Streator Education Association meet at 10 a.m. Thursday to work toward a labor resolution.

The union announced Monday its intent to strike Friday, April 11, if a labor agreement is not met.

“We will continue to split our efforts between engaging in good faith to reach resolution while also focusing on taking care of the children and this community during the strike,” the Streator Elementary Board said in a news release. “Our children rely on our schools for so much more than an education and we will do our best to continue to fulfill those basic needs while we work with the SEA to achieve a resolution.”

The board said it was disheartened to hear of the union’s intent to strike, but it recognizes its right to strike if it believes it is warranted.

The two main issues on the table are teachers salary and support staff benefits (bringing them to full-time with insurance), the union said Monday in a news release. The union consists of teachers and support staff.

After the union announced its intent to strike, it said the next step was a date for further negotiations.

The teachers and support staff union voted in January to start the 45-day clock on a potential strike. In February, the SEA initiated the public posting process, which is a prerequisite to a strike. As part of this process, the association and the board were required to submit their public posting documents to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board.