UPDATED AT 9:45 p.m. Oct. 1:
The Murphysboro CUSD 186 Facebook page says The Murphysboro Education Association and the School Board's Negotiation team met tonight. A tentative agreement was reached. There will be school Tuesday.
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A negotiating session is underway in the Murphysboro School District that will determine if classes will be held Tuesday or if teachers will go on strike.
Murphysboro Education Association spokesperson Melinda Pierson says the teacher's union will delay a potential strike if there is progress is in talks tonight, otherwise, the union's negotiators have the authority to call for a walkout starting tomorrow. She says negotiations have been ongoing since March, with little progress.
The sticking point is salary increases. Pierson says the teachers want a three percent pay raise and some help to offset the cost of health insurance.
The district says it's offering a 2.5 percent pay raise for new teachers and what will amount to a 3.56 percent increase for all other teachers.
Teachers say the major sticking point is salaries since they have taken multiple salary freezes over the last 10 years.
District officials say they will notify the community tonight if school will be in session Tuesday in the same manner as they handle snow days.
Both sides say they do not want a teacher's strike.