Empty classes, no talks as Seattle schools stalemate continues

SEATTLE As Seattle teachers walked the picket lines for a second day Thursday, district officials are saying they simply don’t have enough money to pay educators as much as they’re asking.

And although the Seattle School Board has authorized Superintendent Larry Nyland to take legal action, the district has no immediate plans to seek a court order to try to force teachers and other school employees back to work. It is hoping, instead, for a swift resolution.

District officials said, in a tweet Thursday afternoon that the district continues to work with mediators to get talks back underway.

Seattle Education Association Jonathan Knapp said union leaders had a good conversation with a mediator this morning and “anything can happen” Thursday evening as far as meeting again.

“The school board needs to come forward with some new ideas,” he said. “Until we have something new from the district, we don’t see why we would go back to the bargaining table.”

Knapp said union members will continue picketing Friday and beyond until the two sides agree on a contract.

On Wednesday, district officials say the Seattle Education Association’s proposal would cost $84.3 million over two years, more than twice as much as the $29.4 million the district says it can afford.

“The district’s offer is very competitive,” said Ballard High School Principal Keven Wynkoop, a member of the district’s bargaining team, at an afternoon news conference. He said Seattle has been one of the top three highest-paying districts in the state, adding, “We expect to stay in that ballpark.”

The district’s latest offer would raise teachers’ salaries by 2 percent this year, 3.2 percent next year and 4 percent in 2017-18. When a state-approved cost-of-living adjustment is included (3 percent this year and 1.8 percent the following year), teachers would receive a 14 percent pay bump over three years.

The Seattle Education Association is asking for a 5 percent raise this year and 5.5 percent next year. With the cost-of-living adjustment, the raise would total 15.3 percent over two years.

Throughout the district Wednesday and Thursday, teachers walked the picket lines in front of their schools and said they had no plans to back down.

It is the first time in 30 years that Seattle teachers have gone on strike over contract issues. (Teachers have participated in one-day walkouts to protest state funding, including one this year.)

Engineering instructor Doug Hartley was among dozens of Cleveland High School employees Wednesday morning who cheered for honking cars and waved signs saying “On Strike!” at South Lucile Street and 15th Avenue South.

“It doesn’t seem like we’re getting much respect from the district. It isn’t about the money or anything else; it’s respect,” he said.

Hartley has been a Seattle Public Schools employee for more than two decades. And after years of settling for what he called subpar contracts, he said teachers aren’t going to roll over anymore.

“We’ve been putting up for so much for so long. At some point, it’s the tipping point,” he said.

Despite strong emotions on the picket lines, district negotiator Jon Halfaker a school administrator and former principal of Washington Middle School said the negotiations have been relatively cordial.

“We believe we have made strong gains in reaching agreement on all of the major issues that have been put to us so far,” said Halfaker, adding, later, “It’s not as if we’re sitting there in an adversarial relationship.”

He said the district was taken aback late Tuesday when union officials broke off negotiations and announced they were going on strike.

Some Seattle parents said they were disappointed that the district and union leaders didn’t do a better job of signaling a strike was imminent.

Stephanie Jones, executive director of Community & Parents for Public Schools of Seattle, said the “crisis” strike situation came fast, leading to a sense of confusion among parents.

District and union leaders should have made it clear this summer that tensions were high enough to cause a walkout, she said.

“If you’re going to hold the community hostage in the effect of your impact, you need to include the community in your conversations,” she said.

The two sides have been in contract talks for months. They reached agreement on a number of issues over the Labor Day weekend, including a guaranteed 30 minutes of recess for elementary students and increased pay for certified and classified substitute teachers.

The district has also scrapped a proposal to extend the teacher workday. But district officials think they can still add 20 minutes to the school day, allowing more time for physical education, arts and music.

This year, a beginning teacher in Seattle earned a base salary of $44,372. Teachers with a bachelor’s degree and eight years of experience received $59,444, and those with 15 years’ experience, a master’s degree and 45 credits received $79,788.

Negotiations are underway for school secretaries and librarians and instructional assistants as well as teachers. Overall, the union represents about 5,000 school employees.

(Information from The Seattle Times archives is included in this report.)

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