Seattle Schools teachers rally for higher wages ahead of strike vote
Aug 31, 2022, 8:38 AM
Wednesday, at least 50 teachers, represented by the Seattle Education Association (SEA), rallied for a better contract with Seattle Public Schools (SPS) outside Arbor Heights Elementary ahead of a strike vote that could happen as soon as Thursday.
The day before, the SEA board of directors authorized the strike vote for the nearly 6,000 educators represented by the union.
SPS’ teacher union authorizes strike vote as it ‘actively bargains’ with district
Seattle Public Schools is Washington state’s largest public school district, home to more than 50,000 students. The 2022-2023 school year is currently scheduled to resume Sept. 7.
Speaking with KIRO Newsradio, SEA President Jennifer Matter said that the union’s goal is to secure more support for students in the form of filling open positions, vacancies which result in higher workloads for teachers. The SPS district lies in an area with a high cost of living, making it difficult to attract new professional teachers.
The SEA will discuss the possibility of a strike Wednesday, with Matther confirming that the strike’s vote could happen the following day.
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