PEORIA, Ill. – The back and forth continues between the Peoria Federation of Teachers and Peoria Public Schools administration, especially as one side has now made some pretty serious allegations.
The union claims District 150 has kept money from public view, and from teachers, that could otherwise help give teachers the raises they want.
“We recently learned that they have a revenue stream — Corporate Personal Property Replacement Tax, CPPRT,” said Matt McCaw, Local 780 bargaining chair. “Our district, in the last two years, has received $19.6 million over what they budgeted.”
McCaw claims the union was misled about the money. And when they did ask about the money?
“A few weeks ago, when we requested the actual numbers, they did provide them,” said McCaw. “We don’t know what they did, or what the plan is, with the additional revenue.”
McCaw says some, not all, is going into the district’s Education Fund, which is what primarily pays teachers.
Meanwhile, Peoria Public School Board president Martha Ross claims in a news release the Peoria Federation of Teachers has talked of a strike, even after one meeting with a federal mediator, and one more scheduled.
Local 780 president Jeff Atkins-Dutro tells WMBD’s Craig Collins, however, Ross doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
“As the mediator said (Tuesday) night, in a strike situation, both parties lose,” said Atkins-Dutro. “If things break down, mediation here is our last step. So, our next step would be a strike. But, we’re trying to do everything we can to avoid that.
Another mediation session is scheduled for September 7.
We’ve contacted school board president Martha Ross several times, to no avail. PPS has also declined an invitation to be interviewed on the Craig Collins Show.
Ross’ full statement from Wednesday morning is below.
“The Board and PFT negotiating teams met with a federal mediator yesterday and, as reported by the union, made progress toward a fair and reasonable settlement. As a result, another meeting has been scheduled for September 7. The current board proposal calls for a salary increase that is among the highest in the state and attempts to keep teacher salaries matching rate of core inflation. Thus, the Union’s talk of a strike is not only premature but is an irresponsible attempt to mislead the public and its own members as to what the Board is offering at the negotiations table.” — Martha Ross, Peoria Public School Board President, prepared statement
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