As information regarding the ongoing Kent teachers’ strike comes in from news sites all over we’re keeping you updated with the best of it right on this page. Headlines from our sites and others will update as news is posted.
The headlines below are curated by journalists at Sound Publishing using a service called Publish 2 and will update regularly as we report and discover more news.
Kent School District information page | Kent Education Association home page (with strike info) | Timeline
More links on the Kent teachers strike
This is a compilation of reports leading up to the Kent teachers’ strike. The Kent Education Association is the union that represents the striking teachers. The Kent School District is the administrative body on the other side of the strike.
- Aug. 12: The teachers’ union rejects the school district’s salary proposal. Both entities begin preparing for a possible strike by the teachers’ union.
- Aug. 14: The school district declares an impasse in negotiations and a mediator from the Washington State Public Employment Relations Commission is sent in.
- Aug. 19: Mediator talks begin. “Small” items are resolved; among them: the district agrees to provide boxes and tape for teachers who are moving from one classroom or building to another.
- Aug. 19: Mediation between the district and teachers ends with no clear resolution on major issues. The teachers’ union calls for a vote on whether to strike.
- Aug. 26: The teachers union votes to strike. Union leader Lisa Brackin-Johnson cites more time with students and smaller class sizes as the union’s two main sticking points in contract negotiations.
- Aug. 31: The scheduled first day of school is postponed due to the strike.
- Sept. 1: In a bid to end the strike, the school district files an injunction against the teachers union. At issue is whether teachers are legally allowed to strike.
- Sept. 3: A superior court judge rules that the Kent teachers’ strike is illegal and that teachers must report for classes on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
- Sept. 7: Kent teachers vote to defy the judge’s order and continue the strike.
- Sept. 10: A judge rules that Kent teachers must return to their classrooms by Sept. 14 or the union will face fines of $1,500 per day and teachers will face fines of $200 per day.
- Sept. 14: Kent teachers agree to a new contract with a 94 percent approval vote, thus ending the strike. Classes are scheduled to resume the next day.
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