Union, School Board Reach Contract Agreement To Avert Strike

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont teachers union and a school board have come to an agreement on a tentative contract just hours before a planned strike was scheduled to begin.

South Burlington teachers had planned to begin the strike Wednesday, after the South Burlington Educators' Association voted to strike last week. The Burlington Free Press reports (http://bfpne.ws/2yoKCad ) union leaders and school board members met Tuesday night in a last-ditch effort to head off the strike.

Negotiations lasted nearly 10 hours before the two parties reached an agreement around 2 a.m. Wednesday.

School Board Chair Elizabeth Fitzgerald said in a statement they are pleased to have reached a settlement that averts a strike.

Officials say the terms of the tentative agreement will be disclosed once the union members ratify it.