After eight hours of negotiating Friday, teachers and administrators in the Scranton School District still don't have a contract deal. That means a strike is still a possibility for Monday.
Negotiators spent Friday trying to reach a decision on a new contract for teachers, but ended the session without reaching an agreement.
Superintendent Bill King left the negotiation session with some hope a deal is possible. Both sides have agreed to return to the negotiation table at 9 a.m. Saturday.
"I'm hopeful that both sides can possibility reach an agreement," said King. "I think it's encouraging that we are going to come back here tomorrow and meet. I'm very encouraged by that."
Scranton teachers have been without a contract since September. A union spokesperson said salaries and health insurance are the stumbling blocks. Teachers already contribute to their healthcare. The union said the district wants them to contribute more.
"Right now, we're probably no further than this morning when we first began," said head of the Scranton Federation of Teachers Rosemary Boland. "We have made counter proposals all day. I don't see us giving in any further than we have already given in."
Boland questioned some changes she said administrators made with budget numbers.
"We are disappointed," she said. "We will return tomorrow to see what they com forward with but if they're not going to do this in good faith, we're extremely disappointed with what happened today at the negotiating table."
If no agreement is reached, teachers have given notice they will go on strike Monday.
