EUCLID, Ohio — After nearly nine straight months of negotiations for a successor agreement with the Euclid Board of Education, the Euclid Teachers’ Association, which represents approximately 420 teaching staff professionals in the district, voted to authorize a 10-day strike notice Wednesday.
According to the ETA, the authorization “signals the confidence that the members have in their bargaining team to represent their interests” to acquire an equitable contract that promotes safe and fair working conditions for its members.
"The ETA negotiations team did not want our members to have to take this vote, however after 9 months of negotiations, this Superintendent and Board have not left us with many options,” said ETA co-president Sue Amato. “Our membership made a tough decision tonight, but the support our bargaining team received was unwavering and ineffable. It is our genuine hope that the Board’s team will commit to working with us in negotiating a contract that exemplifies respect for the staff, our students, and our community.”
Co-President Cindy Delong added, “The ETA will continue to fight for a top-quality education that all Euclid students deserve as well as job security for staff. Fair compensation and benefits are needed, but this is about so much more than that. We need to know that ETA members are valued by the Board of Education for the jobs we do. We need a contract that will attract and keep quality employees here in Euclid.”
The co-presidents reiterated that no educator wants to go on strike. The authorization of the strike means the ETA can file the Notice of Intent to Strike and Picket with the Euclid Board of Education and the state relations board.
“The ETA hopes the Board will work with them to reach an agreement that enables the membership to fully focus on what they truly love, which is educating the students of Euclid,” said the union in a statement.
Euclid City Schools released the following statement to News 5:
"At this writing, we have not received the notice to which you refer. We have made clear to the union leadership that we have negotiated in good faith and the contract changes we’ve proposed are specifically designed to increase student success.
Our number one priority remains our students – and we believe firmly that we share that priority with our dedicated teachers. So, while we know we must take important steps toward modernizing our contract with our teachers, we have no intention of negotiating this contract in public. The Board remains ready to continue to meet and negotiate to try to resolve the few remaining issues."
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