E. PALESTINE SCHOOLS Board, union reach agreement

The board had prepared to hire substitutes in the event of a strike.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
EAST PALESTINE -- Representatives of the teachers union and the school board reached a tentative agreement early Wednesday after 10 hours of negotiations.
Don Carson, spokesman for the 95-member teachers union, said the sides met at 5 p.m. Tuesday and remained at the bargaining table until 3 a.m. Wednesday.
The sides met with a federal mediator for the first time in almost two weeks.
Carson said the teachers will meet Thursday to vote on the tentative agreement. He said Ohio Education Association representatives would issue a statement later today. School officials were unavailable for comment today.
Prepared to keep talking
Superintendent Jeff Richardson said Tuesday that the board's negotiators were prepared to stay at the bargaining table as long as needed to reach an agreement.
The board had advertised for certified substitute teachers to be paid $165 per day to keep schools open if the teachers went on strike.
The previous contract with teachers expired June 30. The union issued a strike notice effective 5 a.m. Monday if an agreement had not been reached.
Negotiations began May 8 and continued until impasse was declared June 20. Both parties met about five times with a mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
A previous session Oct. 3 ended after about five hours with no agreement reached.