The Kelso School District filed an injunction request in Cowlitz County court earlier this week. The teachers union a 4.5 percent increase for the first two years and a 4.25 percent increase for the third year. He said the strike must stop, because children need to be educated.
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The Kelso superintendent said little except that he hopes school can start again Tuesday, and he said he hopes the two sides can come to a resolution before then.
Teacher salaries have been the main sticking point between the teachers’ union and the district. They are asking for higher pay to compensate for bigger workloads and to match Longview teacher salaries.
Almost 300 teachers have been on strike since Wednesday, after a fourth round of mediated talks between the Kelso Education Association and district failed to reach an agreement on salary issues.
The step salary schedule raises would be in addition to any raises negotiated with a teachers contract, Peters said. “Those reserves go pretty quickly if you have an unforeseen circumstance”, she said, admitting there is room to move, but not at the level teachers want.
Before the hearing, teachers marched at district headquarters on the third day of their strike.
“We are literally waiting for union to get back in touch with us”, said Lynn Peters, School Board President. “I haven’t been cited any (precedents) that a public school teacher or the union has the right to strike”.
Still, Miller said teachers are disheartened that with just a $450,000 difference between the union and school board’s proposals, the district has not considered tapping into the roughly $8 million it has in cash reserves.
“While I’m sure some kids are happy, when I first told Emily that she was not going to school, she was upset and disappointed”, added Emily’s mother, Akvile Pavydis. “I feel strongly that we’re doing the right thing”. “It’s teaching kids we stand up for ourselves and you should, too”.
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In addition to Prospect Heights, the district’s boundaries include areas of Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, and Wheeling.
