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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 18 sepTember 2018

Strike ending for last Washington

teachers still picketing

By SALLY HO among the two unions authorize strikes. Teachers
Associated Press dealt a blow when the dis- at Seattle Public Schools,
SEATTLE (AP) — The last trict sued them to get them the state's largest district,
of the estimated 125,000 back into the classroom did so but soon reached a
Washington state children and a judge declared that one-year deal giving them
who missed the start of the teacher strikes were il- 10.5 percent raises just be-
school because of teacher legal. Tumwater teachers fore the first day of school
strikes are now all going resisted that order, as no with a new superintendent
back to class, ending a se- penalties were imposed, at the helm.q Tacoma teachers are jubilant throughout the meeting at Mount
ries of teacher strikes over but they were due back Tacoma High School where they voted to accept a new, im-
pay raises that escalated in court on Monday. New proved contract and end their strike, Friday, Sept. 14, 2018.
some cases to court and contract terms with 16.7 Associated Press
state intervention. percent pay raises were
South of Seattle in the city then reached by late Sun-
of Tumwater, teachers rati- day.
fied a new work contract The district issued a state-
agreement on Monday af- ment that read in part:
ter a 16-day strike. Tumwa- "This agreement honors the
ter teachers were the last valuable work our educa-
of the Washington state tors conduct with students
educators on the picket as well as our commitment
lines and school is expect- to providing a professional
ed to start for the district's and competitive wage."
6,800 children on Tuesday. Monday also marked the
Tumwater was among the first day of school for Ta-
13 school districts across coma Public Schools, one
the state that had teacher of the state's largest dis-
strikes over a monthlong tricts, after teachers went
period that began in Au- on strike for 10 days. The
gust, affecting about 11 teachers' union had reject-
percent of the state's 1.1 ed the district's call for a
million school children. Bar- state arbitrator before win-
gaining units at most of the ning 14 percent pay raises
state's 295 school systems for all certified educators
had sought to renegotiate and 19 percent pay raises
salaries this year after the for office staff. The Battle
state infused at least $1 bil- Ground School district had
lion for teacher pay to re- similarly asked for the state's
solve a long-running court rarely-used Public Employ-
battle that determined the ment Relations Commission
state was inadequately to provide third-party "fact-
funding public education. finding" that could have
Most of the disputes were resulted in non-binding pay
negotiated quietly and recommendations, which
many ended with double- the unions had decried as
digit percent salary in- a stall tactic.
creases for teachers amid Angel Morton, president
orders from the lawsuit and of the Tacoma teachers
as political dynamics with union, said teachers and
the "Red4Ed" protest move- school staff are now work-
ment shifted the national ing to repair their relation-
conversation about teach- ship with the administrators.
er pay and value. "We ended up with what
In Washington state, teach- we asked for all along,"
ers largely prevailed de- Morton said.
spite escalation tactics on Other school district teach-
both sides. ers also threaten to walk
Tumwater teachers were off their jobs by voting to