From The Tacoma News-Tribune: The Tacoma (Wash.) teachers strike lasted eight days in September, and the school district is still tallying up the impacts. The district's most recent estimate of strike-related costs is about $566,000 – more than $300,000 in labor costs and more than $200,000 in supplies and operating costs. But $202,000 of that is listed as a potential – not actual – loss. The total doesn’t include the cost of one item the teachers union raised as an issue in the strike: the district’s hiring of an outside consulting firm to help negotiate on behalf of the district.
SEPTEMBER 2011...From The Tacoma News-Tribune: Classes have resumed at more than 50 schools in the Tacoma (Wash.) district after striking teachers voted to return to work. A huge majority of union members approved a three-year contract to end the strike that began Sept. 13. The district had been seeking more flexibility to match teachers with programs and individual schools, and the union objected because of concerns that job assignments would be left to the whims of school principals. The settlement calls for the old seniority- and credential-based system to remain in place for another year while a committee determines what to do next.
Earlier...
From The Tacoma News-Tribune: Teachers in the Tacoma (Wash.) district are voting on a tentative agreement reached by negotiators for the teachers union and the school district after Gov. Chris Gregoire intervened to end a strike. If teachers approve, school will start again for students on Friday. The strike began Sept. 13. Details of the agreement were not available.
From The Tacoma News-Tribune: Teachers in Tacoma, Wash., continued to walk picket lines Thursday morning despite a judge’s order to end their strike. Public schools had been scheduled to open on a two-hour delay, and the school district had asked teachers to report to work at their usual school start time. At about 7:20 a.m., the school district announced that schools would remain closed because of insufficient staffing.
Earlier...from The Tacoma News-Tribune: A judge will issue a temporary restraining order that requires Tacoma's striking teachers to return to work until a full hearing can be held on the legality of their walkout or until they reach a contract agreement with the school district, whichever comes first.More...from The Tacoma News-Tribune: School is closed today for 28,000 students in the Tacoma (Wash.) district after teachers voted to go on strike. More than 1,600 union teachers and other certificated employees – 87 percent of those eligible to vote – agreed to strike Monday night following months of unproductive contract negotiations. Teachers and the school district are at odds over the district’s proposal to change contract language that governs teacher transfers and reassignments. Teachers say that would make transfers too subjective; district officials say they want flexibility to assign teachers to schools and programs where they fit best. The two sides also disagree on how the district should deal with state cuts in funding for teacher pay, and they have argued over contract language that sets class size limits.
MORE: Hundreds of Tacoma teachers are picketing this morning at Lincoln High School. (The Tacoma News-Tribune)
