Teachers have been on strike for nearly two months in Strongsville, Ohio, where disagreements over wages have led to quite a nasty battle between the school district and union.
No progress was made in talks yesterday, which have included a federal mediator, the local paper reported.
A breakthrough seemed closer last week, after an unexpected $3.2 million in back tax revenue led the school board to propose small increases, a movement away from its previous position of no step-or-lane increases in the new contract. But the Strongsville Education Association rejected that offer.
Relations between the parties have frayed considerably. As the Strongsville Patch’s Debbie Palmer has been chronicling, the district has been relying on substitutes to teach classes, while the union has been picketing not only in front of schools, but also outside of board members’ workplaces.
There have also been reports of a handful of teachers crossing the picket lines to return to work.