THREAT
THREAT OF
THREAT OF TEACHER STRIKES. KING 5 NEWS IS ON NOW.
>>> WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH
SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT
WILL BE HAVING CLASSES
TOMORROW.
TOMORROW.
TOMORROW. THEY INCLUDE TUMWATER, PUYALLUP,
TUKWILA SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
IN THE LAST 30 MINUTES WE'VE
LEARNED TEACHERS IN THE RAINIER
SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE AGREED TO
A TENTATIVE DEAL AND CLASS WILL
IS -- WILL RESUME ON THURSDAY.
>> THE TEACHERS UNION SAYS THE
DISTRICT MADE THE CALL TO
CANCEL CLASS DESPITE THE FACT
THAT NEGOTIATIONS ARE STILL
UNDER WAY.
UNDER WAY. >> Reporter: IN 72 YEARS AS AN
ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING
ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING EDUCATORS, WE HAVE NEVER DONE
THIS.
THIS.
THIS. UNION PRESIDENT KAREN McNAMARA
SAYS PUYALLUP TEACHERS ARE NOW
AT THE POINT WHERE THEY ARE
READY TO STRIKE.
>> WHEN I HAVE MARRIED COUPLES
THAT CAN MAKE BETWEEN 10 AND
$20,000 MORE EACH BY DRIVING 5
TO 10 MILES DOWN THE ROAD WITH
A DIFFERENT DISTRICT, WHY WOULD
THEY STAY HERE WHEN IT'S LIFE-
CHANGING MONEY FOR THEM?
>> Reporter: PUYALLUP IS ONE OF
THE MANY DISTRICTS THAT HAVE
BEEN NEGOTIATING TEACHER
RAISES, AND SOME DISTRICTS HAVE
BEEN DOUBLE-DIGIT PERCENTAGE
INCREASES.
INCREASES. IN PUYALLUP IT HAS BEEN A
BATTLE OVER THE BUDGET AND ON
TUESDAY AFTERNOON THE DISTRICT
ANNOUNCED NO SCHOOL ON
WEDNESDAY.
WEDNESDAY. PARENT TERESA PALMER BLAMES THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SHE SHOWED
UP ALONG WITH OTHERS TO OFFER
SUPPORT.>> I THINK OUR SCHOOL
BOARD NEEDS TO HEAR FROM US.>>
MY EMAIL HAS BEEN FLOODED WITH
ALMOST DAILY PUBLICITY
REGARDING THE ONGOING
NEGOTIATIONS.
NEGOTIATIONS. I AM FRANKLY APPALLED AT THE
ONE-SIDED PROPAGANDA BY THIS
SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SCHOOL DISTRICT. >> Reporter: THE DISTRICT HAS
SENT OUT BARGAINING UPGRADES
INCLUDING THIS ONE SAYING THEY
PROPOSED AN AVERAGE ANNUAL
SALARY THAT WOULD EQUAL OUT TO
$79,866.
$79,866.
$79,866. THE UNION SAYS THE DISTRICT'S
NUMBERS DON'T ADD UP AND ITS
INFORMATION IS MISLEADING.
AT THIS MEETING THE DISTRICT
SUPERINTENDENT SAYS IT COMES
DOWN TO THIS.>> WE WANT TO
COMPENSATE YOU FAIRLY.
WE WANT TO DO THE BEST WE CAN.
SOMEBODY HAS TO DO THE MATH.
WE WANT TO GET THIS RIGHT, WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS
SUSTAINABLE.
SUSTAINABLE. WHAT I DO NOT WANT TO DO IS
LOOK AT OUR 200 TEACHERS IN THE
FACE AND SAY I GIVE AWAY YOUR
JOB BECAUSE I COULDN'T DO THE
MATH.>> Reporter: FOR NOW THIS
DISTRICT AND ITS TEACHERS HAVE
NOT REACHED A DEAL.
>> AT THE McCLEARY DECISION HAS
A LOT TO DO WITH THESE
CONVERSATIONS OVER FUNDING.
FOR MORE ON WHAT THAT ENTAILS
YOU CAN HEAD TO KING 5.COM/
McCLEARY.
McCLEARY.
McCLEARY. >> WE WANT WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO
BE HOURS.
BE HOURS.
BE HOURS. >>> NEW DEVELOPMENTS TONIGHT IN
TACOMA WHERE MORE THAN 2000
TEACHERS VOTED TO GO ON STRIKE
THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
THURSDAY.
THURSDAY.
THURSDAY. WE TALK TO TEACHERS AND UNION
LEADERS AFTER THE VOTE TONIGHT.
>> Reporter: THE SIGNS ARE
READY FOR THURSDAY.
THE DAY TEACHERS SAY THEY ARE
PREPARED TO WALK OFF THE JOB.
>> THERE OFFENSE THE --
EFFECTIVELY GIVING US A PAY
DECREASE.
DECREASE.
DECREASE. >> Reporter: TEACHERS SAY THE
DISTRICT AIMS TO OFFER AROUND A
7% INCREASE BUT AS THEY ARE
REALLY TAKING AWAY MONEY FOR
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
CALLING IT AN INCREASE.
>> I WANT TO GET BACK TO WORK
AND I WANT TO TEACH MY KIDS.
WHAT THEY ARE OFFERING IS
UNACCEPTABLE.
UNACCEPTABLE. >> Reporter: THE TACOMA
EDUCATION ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT
SAYS NEGOTIATIONS HAVE LEFT HER
HEARTBROKEN.
HEARTBROKEN. >> WE WANT WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO
BE HOURS.
BE HOURS.
BE HOURS. THEY DON'T KEEP TO -- GET TO
KEEP OUR PAY INCREASES AND
FUNNEL THEM INTO DIFFERENT
ACCOUNTS.
ACCOUNTS.
ACCOUNTS. THEY NEED TO GIVE US THE MONEY
WE HAVE EARNED.>> Reporter:
TOMORROW TEACHERS WILL REPORT
TO WORK FOR MEETINGS AND AS OF
RIGHT NOW THEY PLAN TO GO ON
STRIKE ON THURSDAY.
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THEY
WILL REACH AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN
NOW AND THEN.>> IS A POSSIBLE,
SURE, IS IT LIKELY, I DON'T
THINK SO.>> THE DISTRICT ISSUED
A STATEMENT SAYING THAT SCHOOLS
WILL BE CLOSED UNTIL THE
DISTRICT STRIKE IS OVER IF THEY
DO STRIKE.
DO STRIKE. UNFORTUNATELY THEY HAVE NOT YET
COME TO AN AGREEMENT.
THEY UNDERSTAND THIS
UNCERTAINTY SO CLOSE TO THE
START OF SCHOOL IS STRESSFUL ON
STUDENTS, FAMILIES, STAFF
MEMBERS, AND THE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHICH
SCHOOLS HAVE AGREEMENTS IN
WHICH WILL GO ON STRIKE, JUST
HAD TO OUR WEBSITE KING