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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend March 31, 2006 Teachers strike date looms in Rogue River No agreement has been reached between teachers and the school district since teachers voted March 23 to go on strike April 12 By SANNE SPECHT Mail Tribune ROGUE RIVER — Teacher Joe Burns hand-delivered a strike notice to the school district’s board chairman Thursday afternoon, setting the clock ticking toward an April 12 strike date. Rogue River teachers agreed to the strike deadline in a 60-1 vote at a March 23 meeting after nine months of negotiations failed to produce a contract agreement. Teachers and district officials said they were unsuccessful in reaching an agreement during their most recent four-hour mediation session on Monday. "It didn’t go anywhere," said school board Chairman Dick Handbury. Earlier this week, the district sent out a notice of a possible teachers’ strike to all parents in the four-school district, Handbury said. The memo outlines the district’s side of the issues and attempts to prepare parents for the possible ramifications of closed schools and canceled classes, he said. Advertisement The teachers — who have been working under the expired 2003-2005 contract since June — have said they are willing to accept the old contract rather than any version currently proposed by the district. The new proposals would allow the board to cut school days from the calendar and reduce or eliminate step raises based on experience. School board members say inadequate state and federal funding is forcing cuts of programs or days. As elected officials, the board should have the power to take whatever action it deems necessary to protect the district’s dwindling budget, they say. The board wants language in the contract to protect its right to cut school days. Both sides are battling over projected budgets. The school board has predicted a $400,000 increase in expenses next year. The teachers say they’ve taken cuts based on dire predictions only to find a surplus in the budget at the end of the year. Handbury says that while the situation is grim, there is the hope of an agreement being reached in a final scheduled mediation session on April 6. "I don’t know what will happen," said Handbury. "But I still have high hopes." Reach reporter Sanne Specht at 776-4497 or e-mail Teachers strike date looms in Rogue River ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy Advertisement s