Seattle schools threaten to take teachers to court

by: Gary Horcher Updated:

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Seattle school superintendent Larry Nyland wants to take the Seattle teachers’ union (SEA) to court to stop a potential strike, calling a teachers’ strike “unlawful,” according to a district memo, released late Monday night.

While contract negotiations between the SEA and the school district continued late into Monday night, Nyland called for an emergency school board meeting Tuesday night, asking the board to vote to authorize Nyland to take “necessary actions” to end a potential strike.

The memo says school boards have taken similar action in Pasco and Spokane in the last 10 days, while contract negotiations continue.

“The District considers a strike or the concerted refusal to provide contracted for services to be unlawful,” according to the memo. “Such action causes irreparably (sic) harm and disrupts the education program of the District, students, families and others.”

“In the event a strike or work stoppage commences, the residents of the District and the school age children in the community will be injured through the actions of the Seattle Education Association. Immediate Action by the Board of Directors is in the best interest of the District,” the memo stated.

Monday evening, hundreds of the 5,000 SEA teachers gathered to plan a strike on Wednesday, which is the scheduled first day of school. Teachers were told where and how to picket near school grounds from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Teachers also discussed performing community service on 9/11 instead of picketing.

Teachers are asking the district for an 18 percent pay increase over the next three years in addition to the 3 percent increase authorized by the state legislature. The district has countered with an offer of an 8.3 percent increase in exchange for teachers working an extended school day.

No major agreements have been announced since Saturday afternoon, when the district guaranteed a daily 30-minute recess for all elementary school students.

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