The union representing Rutland teachers and the school board have agreed to meet Tuesday afternoon to negotiate a new contract ahead of a strike planned to begin Wednesday. Top video: See previous coverageNegotiators from the Rutland Education Association are meeting with members of the Rutland City Public School Board on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the terms of a potential new contract that would prevent the teachers from striking.So far, we don’t know how long the negotiations will last. However, members of the union are expected to be outside the school building around 5 p.m., and members also plan to attend Tuesday night’s school board meeting no matter the outcome of those negotiations.If a contract is settled, the strike could be averted just hours before it was scheduled to begin.However, if those talks fail, teachers could still be heading to the picket line Wednesday.The REA voted to strike last week as its contract has remained unsettled for a year and a half. The school board said it was disappointed that the union had not accepted its offer and decided to strike. On Monday, the school board voted to impose a contract after the strike announcement, which the union said only made its strike more likely.NBC5’s cameras were there Monday as the teachers union set up a strike headquarters in the city.Despite the tension, both members of the union and the school board told us that they are hopeful that a deal can be reached Tuesday night to avoid any disruption to classes.”We want to make sure we can provide clarity to the teachers, to understand what that number looks like in practical terms, so we hopefully can do that tonight, but I think we can get there,” said Bill Olsen, superintendent of Rutland City Public Schools.”We’re ready to sit down at the table and be there as long as we need to to get an agreement,” said Sue Tanon, president of the union. “As we’ve said all along, we just, we want to be there at the table working through this with them. That’s our whole goal — to work with them and make a fair and reasonable contract for everybody.”If a strike happens, the district said parents should not send their children to school Wednesday. Olsen said he will notify parents via email and over the phone on next steps based on the outcome of the negotiation.This is a developing news story. It will be updated when additional information is available.
The union representing Rutland teachers and the school board have agreed to meet Tuesday afternoon to negotiate a new contract ahead of a strike planned to begin Wednesday.
Top video: See previous coverage
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Negotiators from the Rutland Education Association are meeting with members of the Rutland City Public School Board on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the terms of a potential new contract that would prevent the teachers from striking.
So far, we don’t know how long the negotiations will last. However, members of the union are expected to be outside the school building around 5 p.m., and members also plan to attend Tuesday night’s school board meeting no matter the outcome of those negotiations.
If a contract is settled, the strike could be averted just hours before it was scheduled to begin.
However, if those talks fail, teachers could still be heading to the picket line Wednesday.
The REA voted to strike last week as its contract has remained unsettled for a year and a half. The school board said it was disappointed that the union had not accepted its offer and decided to strike.
On Monday, the school board voted to impose a contract after the strike announcement, which the union said only made its strike more likely.
NBC5’s cameras were there Monday as the teachers union set up a strike headquarters in the city.
Despite the tension, both members of the union and the school board told us that they are hopeful that a deal can be reached Tuesday night to avoid any disruption to classes.
“We want to make sure we can provide clarity to the teachers, to understand what that number looks like in practical terms, so we hopefully can do that tonight, but I think we can get there,” said Bill Olsen, superintendent of Rutland City Public Schools.
“We’re ready to sit down at the table and be there as long as we need to to get an agreement,” said Sue Tanon, president of the union. “As we’ve said all along, we just, we want to be there at the table working through this with them. That’s our whole goal — to work with them and make a fair and reasonable contract for everybody.”
If a strike happens, the district said parents should not send their children to school Wednesday. Olsen said he will notify parents via email and over the phone on next steps based on the outcome of the negotiation.
This is a developing news story. It will be updated when additional information is available.
