MAHOMET—Teachers and staff in the Mahomet-Seymour school district may go on strike as early as next week.
Administrators and the Mahomet-Seymour Education Association have been unable to reach an agreement on a new contract.
Several union members and supporters attended a school board meeting Monday night and urged the administration to prioritize the well-being of their staff.
Union co-president Ellen Ericson said teacher salaries lag behind those in nearby districts -making it hard to recruit and retain employees.
“The district has the resources to invest in the people who work directly with our students every day,” she added.
“The question is whether it chooses to make that investment.”
Union members filed a notice with a state board last Friday. That means they could be on the picket line as early as next Monday, September 28.
School board member Jeff Bannister emphasized the district needs to act responsibly and ensure the district can continue to serve students.
“I want our teachers, staff, parents, and community members to know that these decisions are not personal,” he said. “They are financial, fiduciary in nature. We can value our teachers, respect their contributions, and still acknowledge the financial realities facing our district.”
The school district said on Facebook that it is planning to meet with the teacher’s union again on Thursday to continue negotiations.
Mahomet-Seymour’s current contract expired in June. The union wants the new contract to reduce healthcare premiums, improve wages, and maintain planning time for teachers.
The district said schools will be forced to cancel classes and extracurricular activities will be put on hold if the union goes on strike.