No Progress in Strongsville Teachers' Strike

A second meeting with a federal mediator has apparently produced no solid results in getting the Strongsville Board of Education and striking teachers back to the bargaining table.

The meeting Monday night that many hoped would be the first step toward the end of the week-old strike lasted three hours, but ended with no progress.

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service issued a statement after the meeting:

“An FMCS mediator met with representatives of the parties this evening and offered suggestions to them on approaches they may wish to consider in order to move toward a settlement. The FMCS will await a response from both parties as to how they wish to proceed," the statement said.

The school board and teachers' union "are free to meet without the presence of the mediator," the FMCS said.

"At this time, no further meeting has been scheduled with the FMCS mediator."

On Monday night, Superintendent John Krupinski and the district's attorney met at the federal mediator's office with Tracy Linscott, president of the SEA, and a representative of the Ohio Education Association.

It was the second meeting with the mediator to try to get the two sides back to the the bargaining table.

The first meeting was called March 6, two days into the strike, but ended with the sides still so far apart the mediator did not schedule a new negotiating session. 

The SEA and school board last bargained March 2 without reaching an agreement, prompting the Strongsville Education Association, which represents 383 teachers, guidance counselors and psychologists, to vote to strike at 12:01 a.m. March 4.

The first week of the strike was rocky, with disputes between picketers and motorists, and with difficult situations reported in some of the schools, especially Strongsville High School.