MURPHYSBORO — Murphysboro teachers did not report to school Thursday morning starting the first day of a teacher’s strike in the school district.

The strike means all Murphysboro schools are closed and extracurricular activities – including athletic events — are cancelled. The strike was declared Wednesday night when negotiations with the school board failed.

The last major issue that needs to be resolved at the bargaining table is the salary increase requested by MEA.

Currently, there are no mediation sessions scheduled for the BOE and MEA.

A Chicago teachers strike could be weeks away if there isn’t a last-minute deal between the union and the nation’s third-largest school district.

The Chicago Teachers Union on Wednesday set a strike date of Oct. 17 as contract talks continue over issues including pay and benefits, class size and staffing shortages.