Seattle teachers vote to halt strike; classes begin for students
Students are back in classrooms this morning in the Seattle district after the teachers union voted to suspend its five-day strike,
The Seattle Times reports that members of the Seattle Education Association voted to end the walkout after the union and school district reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract.
Union members still need to vote on the agreement, likely later this week. If members reject the full agreement, the strike could start up again.
The union says 78% of members voted on whether to end the strike, and 57% of those members approved the motion.
The vote came after a nearly eight-hour video conference call with numerous tense exchanges between union leadership and general membership.
Some of those on the call supported a suspension of the strike, but another group of educators complained they weren't given enough time to review a summary of the tentative agreement.
Earlier: The Seattle school district and the union representing its teachers have reached a tentative agreement to end a strike.
The Seattle Times reports that members of the Seattle Education Association are scheduled to vote Tuesday on the proposed contract.
The union says the proposed three-year contract maintains and improves student-teacher ratios in the special education program and adds baseline mental health staffing in all schools.
The union and district have been negotiating for months. The union’s 6,000 members went on strike last Wednesday, which would have been the first day of classes for students.
District officials would not say how soon classes would start if the contract is approved, but said they are hopeful it would begin quickly.
