The start of classes for students attending Evergreen Public Schools has been delayed at least a week amid a potential strike by employees.
The leaders of the Evergreen Public Schools employees union announced the failure to come to a new contract agreement with the district on Thursday night. The two groups have been negotiating the contract since March.
Delay of Start of Classes
Classes across the district were originally scheduled to start on Tuesday, Aug. 26, but have since been pushed back to Sept. 2, giving both sides more time to talk. In her announcement, Evergreen School District Superintendent Christine Moloney said that she and the board are aware that the delay is a major inconvenience.
However, she noted that they are not able to conduct school safely without the staff represented by the union. The latter includes paraeducators, bus drivers, campus security, maintenance staff, and mechanics.
The union of school staff is demanding higher compensation for roughly 1,400 classified staff in its membership. The school district has 38 elementary, middle, high, and specialty schools scattered across East Vancouver and enrolls over 20,000 students, according to OPB.
Many Evergreen parents have gone through starting the year with a strike, as two years ago, the district also delayed the start of classes when teachers took to picket lines and union leaders continued contract negotiations with administrators.
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One parent, Mindy Troffer-Cooper, who is the president of the Evergreen Chapter of the Public School Employees of Washington SEIU Local 1948, said that they have "such a turnover in this district, it's terrible."
Troffer-Cooper added that their members have already made their voices clear and are saying, "Enough is enough." She said they are united, ready, and will do whatever it takes to win a contract that reflects their value and ensures that students get quality services that they deserve, KGW8 reported.
Addressing Employee Issues
Incoming Evergreen PSE vice president Angie Waudy said that the current situation is about "respect." She argued that paraeducators and drivers are choosing to leave their jobs because the district refuses to address issues with retention.
In the union's strike vote, workers agreed to stop working starting on Tuesday if they had not reached an agreement with the district. Additionally, a news release noted that the teachers' union will honor the picket line.
Moloney noted that the decision to delay the start of classes will allow both sides to reach a contract that is fair for either side and is sustainable under current budget constraints, as per The Columbian.
