Rockford Public Schools has increased its offer of pay increases to teachers in an effort to settle a contract dispute days before the union is set to vote on a potential strike authorization.
Rockford Education Association members — the union representing about 2,000 licensed school staff — are scheduled to meet Saturday where a strike authorization vote is possible. Strike authorization does not automatically trigger a strike, but gives union leaders the authority to declare one if they feel it necessary.
However, the district during a Wednesday night bargaining session sweetened its offer, according to a post on the district website. It increased its proposed pay raises beyond what had been included in what was supposed to be the district’s last, best and final offer…