SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - Teachers at a school in Scranton are on strike. A total of 36 teachers hit the picket lines late Wednesday afternoon at the Lackawanna County Career Technology Center.

Teachers at the school have been working without a contract for more than one year. The teacher's union says the walkout came after months of failed negotiations. Salary issues are one of the biggest stumbling blocks.

"I don't know of any other institution that has to negotiate and figure out a salary every single year and that's what's going on at the Technology Center right now," Rosemary Boland said. Boland is president of the Scranton Federation of Teachers and the district's chief negotiator.

Nearly 700 students are being affected by the strike. Until there is a settlement, the halls of the career technology center will stay empty.

Administrator Vincent Nallo says students will stay in their home districts. That means most won't get hands-on technical training.

"Obviously going back to a home school, you're going to deal more with academics, although there are some sending schools that do have industrial arts programs that the students are going to be put in there, so they will get some hands-on experience," Nallo said.

Students from 13 school districts send students to the career technology center. Union members say a strike was the last resort.

"We're prepared to go back to school. We're willing to go back to school right this minute as long as somebody would come in here and tell me they're willing to sit down and negotiate and get a deal done," Boland said.

Administrators say they're trying to make progress with the union but it's difficult. With so many school districts involved getting everyone on board takes time.

"It just doesn't happen overnight. Those things just don't happen. It's very difficult. I even have difficulty getting our board together," Nallo said.

There is no word on how long the strike will last in Lackawanna County.