The first meeting with a mediator ended without a contract agreement between the Mercer County School District and the union that represents its teachers on Wednesday.
After more than three hours of talks with a neutral third party, the sides were unable to reach an agreement. The previous deal expired on June 30. With the deal expired, teachers will be paid the previous year’s salary until a new deal is signed. If a new deal is reached during the 2025-26 school year that includes pay raises, staff would be back paid the money they missed out on, dating back to the start of the school year.
For a teachers’ union to legally strike in Illinois, mediation must be attempted and deemed unsuccessful, the union must have an expired contract, and the union must issue the school district a 10-day formal notice of intent to strike.
Mercer County Education Association (MCEA) spokesperson Monty Smith spoke with WRMJ Thursday morning to give an update on the progress.
Smith noted the union plans to start the school year as normal if a deal isn’t reached before the first day of school.
The next meeting with the mediator is scheduled for Monday.
MCEA claims the Mercer County School District offers less salary potential for teachers than the neighboring Rockridge and Sherrard School Districts and the lowest compensation in the Regional Office of Education (ROE) District #33, which includes United, West Central, Monmouth-Roseville, Galesburg, ROWVA, Williamsfield, Knoxville and Abingdon-Avon. The union is looking specifically for pay increases for veteran teachers.
The first day of school in the Mercer County School District is August 14. Teachers are scheduled to report on August 12.