This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

MAYWOOD, Ill. — Proviso Township District 209 classes are canceled Friday due to a teachers strike.

Last month, Local 571, the union that represents District 209 teachers, began picketing over not having a contact since June 2021. They said the key issues at stake are pay raises, retirement benefits, sick time and class size.

The union said the most significant unresolved issues are teacher pay, teacher retirement and smaller class sizes.

District 209 officials said they increase their proposal for teacher salary increase to 9% over the next three years. They claimed the union “moved backwards” and increased their demand to 13.25%.

“The District remains firm in our position that salary increases at the level being demanded by the union are neither sustainable, nor in the best fiscal interest of our parents and other local resident taxpayers,” a District 209 spokesperson said.

In a press release Thursday, the union said Superintendent Henderson has refused to meet prior to March 7.

Classes are canceled Friday and Monday the district if off for Casimir Pulaski Day.

“Proviso teachers continue to seek an agreement that students and our community deserve – one which provides smaller class sizes to help our diverse students succeed and attracts and retains high-quality educators,” a union spokesperson said.

Teachers are planning to picket at all three schools, Proviso East, Proviso West and Proviso Math and Science Academy, Friday beginning at 7:45 a.m.