BELLEVILLE • The 49 teachers in the Belleville-based Harmony-Emge School District approved a contract Tuesday, avoiding a possible strike that could have come as early as this week.

The multiyear contract gives nearly half of the teachers a pay cut, according to Dave Comerford of the Illinois Federation of Teachers. He declined to give other details of the contract until it is ratified by the district.

Comerford said the teachers approved the contract despite concerns about the terms of the deal and anger about the way the district handled negotiations.

"Forty percent are taking a pay cut, will have less money in their pocket than they did last year," Comerford said. "They want people to realize the teachers are making these sacrifices for the good of students and the community, but they're very disappointed with the tactics of the district, the district's attorney and school management."

Comerford said a simple majority was needed to approve the contract, and teachers didn't want the final tally revealed even to themselves, to speak with one voice and avoid division.

The district plans to approve the contract today.

"We're pleased with the results of the vote," said Christi Flaherty, an attorney for the district. "We're anxious to get it approved. ... We're anxious to get everyone back in the classroom and get back to the business of education."

The district has an elementary and middle school and about 725 students.

The union had already filed an intention to strike that paved the way for teachers to stop going to work. The last time both sides sat down together was for five hours on Saturday when the district delivered its last, best and final offer.

Last week, over the objections of the teachers' union, the district declared negotiations at a formal impasse and released salary and benefit demands of both parties. Comerford said both sides were making progress and negotiations had only been under way for two months. The district had no legal right to declare impasse, disclose negotiating points nor force a final offer, he said.

"The district says they respect teachers," Comerford said. "Well, they didn't show it. Actions speak louder than words."

Neither side has disclosed the specific terms of the offer voted on Tuesday afternoon, though Flaherty indicated the district had sweetened the pot from an earlier offer.

According to the state board of education, the average annual pay for a teacher in the district in 2009 was $67,652. The state average was $61,402.

Flaherty said the district is operating at a deficit, expects continued reduced state funding and is limited on what it can offer its teachers.

"Across the board, programs are being cut back, and we're just asking the teachers to bear that burden with the rest of the district," she said. "We absolutely support our teachers. Unfortunately we can't continue to afford the kind of raises they are getting — not in this economy."

Greg Jonsson of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.