Seattle teachers rally ahead of vote on whether to strike

August 31, 2022 / 2:41 pm

caption: Members of Seattle's teachers union, the Seattle Education Association, rally outside district headquarters on August 21, 2019.

Seattle Public Schools educators held a series of rallies in front of several schools on Wednesday, ahead of the Seattle Education Association's vote this weekend on whether to authorize a strike.

The districts contract with the teachers ends Wednesday. While the two sides have been negotiating, union members say they want administrators to further address their concerns about support for students and staff burnout. They also say they want more manageable workloads and pay increases.

Union members plan to meet Wednesday night to consider an action plan. Students are slated to return to Seattle Public Schools next week on Wednesday, Sept. 7.

Meanwhile, a teacher strike continues in the Kent School District has continued into its fifth day, after the district's school board voted against seeking a court order to compel teachers back into the classroom.

In Port Angeles, contract negotiations between Port Angeles School District and its teachers union remain unsettled. The Port Angeles Education Assocation voted this week to authorize a strike if a deal isn't reached by the time their current contract ends on Wednesday.