About 2,000 teachers across two school districts in Clark County could take to the picket lines in the coming weeks, just as students return to classrooms from summer break.
The Evergreen Education Association — the teachers union at one of the region’s largest school districts — says that 93% of its more than 1,600 members voted on Wednesday evening to authorize a strike.
A few miles east in Camas, teachers voted on Tuesday to authorize a strike. Officials with the Camas Education Association say its 450 members could be on picket lines, rather than in classrooms, on the first day of school there, Monday, Aug. 28.
Evergreen has not set a strike date. The EEA has been meeting with Evergreen school administrators, with the help of a mediator from the Public Employee Relations Commission. The union is scheduled to hold further meetings with administrators on Friday and Saturday. Evergreen teachers are already back to work, doing in-service activities and otherwise preparing for students to return on Aug. 30.
Some of the concerns from teachers are the same in both districts, such as the need for more support for students in special education programs. Evergreen teachers also note the need for cost-of-living increases for teachers and a lack of substitute teachers as key issues. Camas teachers point to the need for smaller class sizes and in a statement, warn against a district proposal they say “would effectively cut teachers’ pay.”
In a summary on its website, the Camas School District says its offer on Aug. 17 included a 4.95% raise for the upcoming school year. The district said recent talks with the union led to progress on several issues, including staff schedules and funding for music and library programs. Talks are scheduled to continue on Thursday.
Evergreen Superintendent John Boyd warned of a possible work stoppage and disruption of the first day of school in a message posted to the district website. In the statement, Boyd said, “The district remains committed to reaching a fair agreement for both sides that is affordable and sustainable.”
Evergreen says it offered a 4.7% increase for the upcoming school year in a proposal shared on Aug. 9.
Union officials say there’s one other school district that parents in Southwest Washington should keep an eye on: Battle Ground has been negotiating a new contract for teachers since January. The current agreement expires Aug. 31.