NILES SCHOOLS Power to strike given to union

A union representative said the vote may give both sides more incentive to negotiate.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- With an overwhelming vote, classified employees of the city's school district authorized their negotiating team to issue a strike notice if they see fit.
"We are not looking to implement this tomorrow," said Jim Rabbits, field representative for the Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local 365. "We could if we want to, but that's not the intention at this point."
He said the authorization vote may give a little more incentive to both sides to get back to the bargaining table and hammer out an agreement.
Union members met for about 90 minutes Tuesday in the high school cafeteria before voting 94-11 in favor of the authorization. The vote only empowers the negotiating team to issue a 10-day strike notice if they see fit. Rabbits said union representatives made sure voting members knew that before they cast their ballots.
The situation
The 122 members of the union -- which represents cafeteria workers, secretaries, bus drivers, custodians and more in Niles city schools -- have been working without a contract since this summer.
Union officials announced earlier this month that contract negotiations with the board of education are at an impasse.
Rabbits said a federal mediator was brought in to oversee negotiating between the sides. The last session took place Oct. 10, with others tentatively set for Oct. 30 and Nov. 5.
School officials and the union representing teachers, whose contract also expired this summer, were able to reach an agreement for a one-year pact in early August.
slshaulis@vindy.com