Washington state teachers’ unions strike as school starts, forcing closures

Two teachers’ unions in Washington are on strike, preventing nearly 30,000 students from starting school.

Roughly 450 educators from the Camas School District began to strike on Monday over teacher pay and class sizes.

“We are trying to offer increases for our staff that are sustainable,” said district spokesperson Doreen McKercher.

However, Camas Education Association (CEA) vice president Michael Sanchez criticized the district for giving the union its “last, best and final offer.”

“The district asserted that they expect CEA to accept their proposal without any further discussion,” Sanchez said on Tuesday.  

Teacher strikes are illegal in the state of Washington but still occur because taking legal action against them is time consuming. Nevertheless, the Camas School Board voted Monday to take legal steps to end the strike.  

Between 2019 and 2022, Washington students lost an estimated five months of math instruction and three months of reading instruction. 

As a result of the latest strike, 7,000 Camas students will lose even more instructional time.  

Camas isn’t the only district in the state to start with a strike. 

The first day of class in Vancouver’s Evergreen School District was also canceled due to illegal union protests. 

The district told local news its goal was to get “children back into the classroom as soon as possible,” but told families that schools would be “closed until further notice.”  

The Evergreen Education Association is striking for higher pay, also seeking the hiring of more paraprofessionals and substitute teachers. 

However, the average Evergreen teacher already makes $96,000 plus $35,000 in benefits, according to the Washington Policy Center. 

Liv Finne, director of the Center for Education at the center, has observed the downward spiral between union demands and worsening school conditions. 

“Union pay-offs are wrecking school budgets,” wrote Finne. “Families have noticed the cuts and are leaving the public schools if they can. To date 46,000 families have pulled out of public schools in favor of homeschooling, private schools and other alternatives.”  

Evergreen’s strike will affect nearly 23,000 students, who are already struggling academically.  

Just 41% of the district’s students meet math standards and only half can read proficiently.  

“At some point even the [Washington Education Association] may notice, and realize that listening to parents, not illegally blocking school doors, is the best way to help children get the high-quality education they need and deserve,” Finne concluded.