NAPERVILLE – The Naperville Unit Education Association (NUEA) continues to negotiate with the Naperville District 203 Board of Education (BOE). The NUEA called for a public posting process due to a lack of progress at the table last week. The next mediation session between NUEA and the district is scheduled for Mon., Aug. 9.
“We continue our negotiations with the Naperville School District 203 bargaining team. We still remain far apart on two central issues: family and parental leave and addressing an increase in teachers’ responsibilities,” said NUEA President Dan Iverson. “We should not have to choose between nurturing our families in need and paying our bills.”
The union is fighting for members to be allowed to use accumulated sick days they have earned to cover the full 12 weeks of Family Medical Leave Act leave. In addition, the discussions about salary compensation need to focus on the increasing responsibility being placed on the educators in our classrooms.
“We simply ask that the district recognizes the increase in responsibilities for teachers that comes with this premium learning service and appropriately invest in it,” said Iverson. “We are fully confident that the district can comfortably afford all our proposals with current revenue streams, and no unexpected additions to the burdens on our taxpayers.”
The NUEA hosted a Show of Solidarity rally on Mon., Aug. 2. Nearly 500 participants made up of educators, both active and retired, students and community members attended the rally and marched to the subsequent school board meeting, showing that the NUEA is united not only as an organization, but also with the students and community it proudly serves.
The NUEA represents 1,500 teachers in District 203 which serves 16,500 students. The next mediation session with the District 203 BOE is Mon., Aug. 9.
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The 135,000 member Illinois Education Association (IEA-NEA) is the state’s largest education employee’s organization. IEA represents preK-12 teachers outside of the city of Chicago and education support staff, higher education faculty, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers, statewide.
