The strikes were set for Tuesday on a vote of 1,849 to 1,081 by the 4,800-member Seattle Education Association. We've been calling this a silent strike. He said some classrooms have no qualified teachers, and some buildings in Seattle are being run by people with less than five years' experience. The state budget, which includes teacher pay and other education funding, is the biggest item on the agenda in the special legislative session that began Wednesday with the unveiling of the House version of a spending plan.
Teachers are unhappy with all of the budget alternatives proposed to date.
But all state budget proposals cut education spending, meaning local governments may be forced to pick up the slack. Union leaders contend the proposals deprive schools of the money voters wanted them to have and offer no long-term plans to reverse growing teacher shortages. The Washington Education Association voted earlier this year not to endorse a statewide strike over the issue. The Associated Press. All rights reserved.