Senator says teachers’ union running a ‘con-job’

Teachers’ unions are breaking the law, but lawmakers in Olympia are afraid to do anything about it, KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson said.

“Democrats are scared of enforcing the law,” Dori said.

On Monday, teachers from Seattle Public Schools held a walk-out and march. They joined teachers from more than 50 other districts who have protested for more funding for education and higher pay.

It’s against the law for teachers to walk out or go on strike, Dori pointed out.

“That’s what’s so confounding to me; teachers can break the law on a regular basis with these strikes because they’re pouting about how negotiations are going,” he added.

What it comes down to is that the teachers’ unions don’t care about students, Dori said.

“All they care about is expanding membership of the union,” he added. They just want to increase salaries. “It’s not about kids or education at all.”

Not only that, but the unions must not care much about parents, either.

“Think about how many parents weren’t able to go to their jobs today, or had to pay extra for daycare,” Senator Michael Baumgartner told Dori.

Every budget proposal in Olympic provides teachers with more than $1 billion, Baumgartner said. “But it’s never enough for the teachers union … They like trying to run a con-job on the voters of Washington.”

Walking out on work is something unthinkable, Dori said. Sure, he’s had some heated discussions over his contract before, but he wouldn’t walk out.

“It would never cross my mind to not come and do the radio show when I’m in the midst of negotiations,” he said. “I have too much respect for my audience, the job, and my employer.”