Oct 19, 2009 11:00 pm US/Eastern
Teachers At 3 N.J. Catholic Schools On Strike
AUDUBON, N.J. (CBS 3) ―
Students at three South Jersey Catholic high schools were forced to cross picket lines in order to get to class Monday.
The Catholic Teachers Union voted to strike Monday at Camden Catholic High School in Cherry Hill, Holy Spirit High School in Absecon and Paul VI High School in Haddon Township.
Negotiations between the teachers' union and the Camden Diocese failed after the two sides were unable to reach an agreement over pay raises and health benefits.
The Camden Diocese said the union requests included "unrealistic salary increases totaling more than 10 percent."
Diocese officials said they have proposed salary increases of 5.25 percent over two years and premium co-pay for employees hired on or after September 1, 2009.
"The teachers are extremely angry that the decisions on economics that are being made are not being made by our principals and presidents at the schools, they are actually being made by people in the diocese," said Catholic Teachers Union Vice President Chris Ehrmann.
Despite the strike, all students are expected to report to school on a modified schedule.
For more information, parents are encouraged to check the school's Web sites.
RELATED LINKS:
Paul VI High School
Camden Catholic High School
Holy Spirit High School
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