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Youngstown Education Association members plan Saturday rally as talks continue today with school board

By Staff report
Youngstown Education Association spokesperson said negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement will begin this evening. 
Youngstown Education Association spokesperson said negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement will begin this evening.  Getty Images

As members of the Youngstown Education Association (YEA) and the Youngstown City School District are meeting this morning in an effort to stop a potential strike, YEA members have announced a Saturday community rally to show solidarity for its cause.

“We put our heart and soul into this district and community every day,” YEA spokesman Jim Courim said. “We believe in Youngstown and in the community’s importance in the education of Youngstown’s students, and Saturday is meant to demonstrate this solidarity of purpose. As we’ve been saying since this past spring, YEA’s goal with these contract negotiations has been to set Youngstown’s students up for a success in 2023-2024 and beyond. Every day that the Board allows to pass without a settlement delays this from happening. While we are running out of time, it is also important to know that we still do have time.”

The rally is slated noon Aug. 19 in front of the Youngstown Early College; 20 W. Wood St.

“This situation is not about money,” Courim said. “It is about one issue, which is the need to have a contract in place which permits the full voice and input of Youngstown’s teachers in the learning conditions of Youngstown’s students. We remain disappointed that the Board will not yet agree to collaborate with us on this vision, but we also remain hopeful that the Board will do so before our students’ first day on August 23.”

The contract between the 450 members of the Youngstown Education Association and the school district expired June 30 and union members are slated to take a strike vote early next week if a deal can’t be reached.

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