COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus teachers' union and the school board failed to reach an agreement Thursday after a meeting that lasted approximately 12 hours.
The Columbus Education Association said the attorney for the Columbus Board of Education came to them with another "final offer" which the union claimed was "substantially unchanged" from a previous offer.
Thursday's meeting, which started around 8 a.m., included a federal mediator.
The union said the deal offered Thursday still did not include "contractual guarantees on HVAC or building conditions," which have been a focus during negotiations.
"Tonight we presented our last, best, and final offer for CEA to consider. The offer is strong; it is responsive to the concerns that have been raised; and it reflects how vital our teachers and certificated staff members are to our district," Board of Education President Jennifer Adair said in a recorded statement.
"It's time for a vote on this offer," she continued.
Adair's statement did not include the union's concerns concerning the HVAC and building conditions.
Adair did mention the offer included increased staffing for school nurses, psychologists and speech language pathologists as well as guaranteed base salary increases of 3% each year for three years and new paid family leave, among other points.
If a contract is not decided on by Sunday, that's when the Columbus Education Association will vote to potentially strike.
The first day of school for Columbus City Schools is Wednesday, Aug. 24.
You can find the district's plan if there is a strike here.
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