Proposed injunction against striking teachers in Kent fails

KENT, Wash. — A resolution to file an injunction against striking teachers in the Kent School District has failed. The KEA and the district still have not come to a contract agreement and nearly 25,000 students in the Kent School District have yet to return to class. This comes as teachers rounded up their fifth day of striking amid negotiations between their union and the district Monday evening.

The school board called an emergency meeting on Monday, Aug. 29 to vote on a resolution against the Kent Education Association. The measure failed in a 2-2 vote.

“I feel like filing an injunction is a way is an intimidation process to scare,” Joseph Bento, the vice president of the board, said in the meeting. Parents and teachers said they were relieved and surprised that the measure did not pass.

“Pleasantly surprised I think that was just a lot of emotion and I don’t know if I had expected what was going to happen but we’re glad that the resolution failed,” Shujri Olow, a parent in KSD, said.

Although the measure failed, the strike will continue until the two parties can reach an agreement.

The district says union members “orchestrated an unlawful strike” and are therefore in breach of contract.

“The strike continues unabated despite good faith proposals from the District,” an agenda for the board meeting reads in part. “Staff recommends passing Resolution No. 1630 authorizing, among other things, a lawsuit against the KEA to obtain an order directing KEA members back to work, setting appropriate fines against the KEA and its leadership for non-compliance with any such order, and requesting attorneys’ fees, costs, and any other such relief as the court deems just and equitable.”

The district publicly shared its latest salary proposal on Saturday, which offered teachers a 6.3% wage increase for the 2022-2023 school year, cost of living adjustments for the following two school years and $2,500 in stipends distributed over the next two years.

Under this proposed salary schedule, 75% of KEA members would make at least $77,220 during the 2022-2023 school year, according to the district.

The union responded, saying the district has yet to share “everything else they are proposing to take away” with the public, calling it a tactic to break the strike.

“We are disappointed, but unfortunately not surprised, that the district chooses to play games and spend money on attorneys rather than seriously engage with school staff on what students need,” said KEA president Tim Martin. “We are still waiting for a proposal from the district that addresses student-centered supports and stops attacking workers’ rights.”

KEA says it will continue to focus on improving class sizes, caseload and mental health, and has seen a lot of support from parents and students for Kent teachers.

©2022 Cox Media Group