Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson briefly addresses concerns about a strike at school board meeting

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- After 15 months and 25 failed bargaining sessions that yielded no results, Fresno Unified entered the last and final phase of contract negotiations Monday, hoping fact-finding would break the impasse.

Little is known about what was said during the two-day hearing--only that both sides presented their arguments to a three-person panel. A report with recommendations will be generated. It is a last resort, only if both sides still cannot come to an agreement in the coming weeks.

"There has been some discussion that a strike was imminent, that is not the case, we are still in fact-finding," said Superintendent Bob Nelson.

Nelson briefly addressed concerns at a Board of Education meeting Wednesday. Both sides are continuing to meet until the report comes back. If they still cannot agree at that point, then the FTA has the legal right to strike.

"In the meantime, our district has to prepare to keep our schools open for our 74,000 students and we'll continue to communicate, regarding everything they need to know," said Nelson.

The report is scheduled to come out in two to three weeks.