STAFF REPORT

A federal mediator will visit Ewing today to try to end an impasse between school officials and the teachers union at Ewing-Northern Grade School.

Teachers at Ewing-Northern have worked without a contact since August 30 and filed an intent to strike notice with the state in November.

A Ewing-Northern School Board spokeman has said that the sticking point is an additional 1.5 percent pay raise that the union is asking for.

A strike would threaten to stop classes for the 227 students enrolled in grades K-8 at the school. Ewing-Northern’s 15 teachers are represented by the Illinois Federation of Teachers.