The board of trustees at Governors State University has approved a contingency plan to keep classes going in the event of a teachers strike.
“The most important thing is continuing classes uninterrupted if there is a strike,” said Connie Zonka, a spokeswoman for the university. “We are meeting with the deans to see that all classes are covered through hiring temporary faculty until a strike is settled.”
Trustees said they were optimistic that a strike would be averted.
Last week the teachers union voted to strike if a federal mediator couldn’t settle the matter after seven months of negotiations over pay raises, said Marsha Katz, president of the school’s chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois union.
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The union is seeking a two-year contract with a 3.5 percent raise the first year and 5.5 percent increase the second year. The university is offering 3 percent for each year.
“We will do everything we can to offer students uninterrupted classes,” said university President Paula Wolff.