Members of the teachers union in the Prior Lake-Savage Area School District have begun “working to rule” and resigning from voluntary committees as a show of their frustration over the lack of a contract settlement.

Deb Johnson, president of the Prior Lake-Savage Education Association, wrote in a letter to the newspaper Tuesday that the teachers “are taking these steps because our negotiators have met 20 times for over 45 hours since May, including a full day with a state mediator on Nov. 19, and still have not been able to reach a fair and equitable settlement.”

Teachers are working their contracted eight-hour days but nothing extra. Work done before or after school will not be done, and teachers will not take work home, Johnson wrote.

At Monday’s School Board meeting, Vice Chairwoman Lee Shimek read a prepared statement:

“Negotiations with the teachers union continue to move forward. We met with a mediator on Nov. 19 and have another all-day session with the mediator scheduled for Dec. 5. We continue to strive for a fair settlement that is also fiscally responsible. The challenge we are facing, like so many other employers, is the rising cost of medical insurance. The board committee is exploring options to help address this difficult issue and remains optimistic that a solution can be reached.”

Look for more on this story online later this week and in our Saturday, Dec. 1 print edition.