WASHINGTON STATE – School is finally back in session following a three-week delay at Evergreen Public Schools in southwest Washington, after unionized staff approved a deal with district administrators.

Members of Public School Employees of Washington SEIU Local 1948 initiated the first strike in the union’s 57-year history on Aug. 26 following months of failed contract negotiations.

In La Center School District, also in southwest Washington, teachers ended a week-long strike on Thursday after reaching a tentative agreement with the district. Meanwhile, staff at Vancouver Public Schools voted Thursday to authorize a strike.

The union at Evergreen Public Schools represents 1,400 paraeducators, bus drivers, security officers, maintenance workers and other “classified” non-teacher staff. They demanded that the district adequately compensate paraeducators, who assist teachers with classroom instruction, and address what the union described as critical understaffing.

“This agreement is the product of incredible strength and unity from Evergreen’s classified staff,” said Mindy Troffer-Cooper, president of the Evergreen chapter of Public School Employees of Washington.

The Evergreen Public Schools board last week authorized its legal team to take “all lawful steps necessary” to end the strike, including filing a request in Clark County Superior Court for an injunction to force striking employees back to work.

The district and union negotiators reached a tentative agreement on Wednesday, with union members voting to approve the agreement Thursday night.

Class resumed on Friday, Sept. 12. The district has about 22,000 students.

“Our members stood strong in the face of legal threats and misleading tactics because they knew what was at stake: stability for students, livable wages for staff, and respect for the work that keeps schools running,” Troffer-Cooper said.

She attributed the success of the strike to solidarity across the labor community, thanking teachers, parents, students, community allies and other labor partners for supporting Evergreen’s classified staff.

La Center educators to return to class, as Vancouver workers authorize a strike

Members of the La Center teachers’ union began striking Sept. 3. They sought higher wages to retain and attract quality staff and compete with neighboring districts.

Union members planned to vote on the agreement there on Friday. If approved, school will reopen on Monday, Sept. 15. Classes started in La Center on Aug. 27 and then paused due to the strike.

“We are looking forward to welcoming students back to their classrooms,” said Superintendent Peter Rosenkranz.

A start date for the Vancouver Public Schools strike had not been announced as of Friday afternoon.

Members of the Vancouver Association of Educational Support Professionals failed to reach an agreement after months of negotiations and have been without a contract since Aug. 31.

The union represents over 800 paraeducators, clerks, secretaries, tech support specialists, maintenance workers and other staff.

Union members are asking for additional training, increased staffing, shortened time between salary increases, and pay hikes for inclement weather and work-related injuries.

“We deeply respect our VAESP labor partners and appreciate schools cannot run without these staff,” Vancouver Public Schools says on its website, adding that bargaining is “especially difficult right now” due to funding not matching the actual costs of operations.

“We are all left trying to find a way to make sure our students and staff get what they need, and deserve, even with our very limited resources,” Vancouver Public Schools adds in its statement.

Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Bill Lucia for questions: info@washingtonstatestandard.com.