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Teachers, union and parents press Washington Unified board over pay, staffing and bargaining process
Summary
Dozens of teachers, union leaders, students and parents used public comment Sept. 25 to press the Washington Unified School District board for higher pay, better benefits and more stable staffing. Speakers said bargaining with district negotiators has been brief and frustrating; a union leader warned interest-based bargaining had broken down.
Dozens of teachers, parents and students urged the Washington Unified School district board on Sept. 25 to act quickly to raise teacher pay and improve benefits, arguing low compensation is driving attrition and harming students.
The appeals came during the public-comment period at a regularly scheduled board meeting. Student leaders and dozens of district teachers, several speaking for the Washington Teachers’ (WSTA) association, warned that surrounding districts pay more and that turnover disproportionately affects higher-need schools.
“Please don’t force our teachers to leave because they can’t get the proper health care coverage and fair wages they deserve,” said Mariana Gutierrez, River City High School’s ASB president. “When we invest in…
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