CONTRACT TALKS: Seattle Public Schools wants mediation with educators’ union

10:20 PM: As reported here Wednesday, the Seattle Education Association says its members are voting online all weekend on whether to authorize a strike. Their contract expired two days ago. Tonight, Seattle Public Schools says it has sent families a letter warning that a delay in the start of classes – currently set for Wednesday (September 7th) – is “possible.” With a copy of that letter, the district sent this statement to media:

Seattle Education Association has turned down Seattle Public Schools’ request for legal mediation in an effort to reach a contract agreement before the start of school next Wednesday. The offer, extended earlier today, was met with immediate decline by SEA.

SPS was prepared to begin bargaining in June, and we honored SEA’s request for a two-week blackout period from June 27-July 11. SPS shared our first proposal with SEA at the end of June with the majority of SPS proposals shared with SEA by August 9. We received SEA’s first proposal on August 2.

While this news is disappointing, SPS believes mediation is necessary. We remain committed to the needs of our students and to a meaningful negotiations process. SPS gave SEA reasonable notice of our meeting schedule through the holiday weekend and into next week. Our bargaining team is ready to make substantive progress and has identified three days of availability – Sunday, Labor Day, and Tuesday. Mediation also remains on the table.

We’re seeking comment from the SEA. Their voting is scheduled to end Tuesday morning, with results to be announced later that day – and depending on what happens in the meantime, either classes or a strike starting Wednesday.

EARLY SATURDAY: We haven’t heard yet from the SEA but a commenter points out that the union said via social media that SPS didn’t show up for what it says was a scheduled bargaining session Friday.

ADDED NOON SATURDAY: SEA responded to our inquiry with a statement addressing the bargaining schedule but not mentioning the mediation question: “SEA is committed to working around the clock to settle a contract that meets students’ and educators’ needs. It’s infuriating that SPS didn’t show up to bargaining last night and isn’t willing to bargain today. We need to work together to support our schools.”

1000amys September 3, 2022 (12:52 am)

It’s all over Facebook that SEA showed up today (Friday) for a planned meeting, and SPS did not. I watched a video of the SEA bargaining team inside a conference room at the John Stanford Center explaining that they were available and were frustrated that the District didn’t show up. I’ll try to link the video, but it’s through Facebook so I don’t know if that will work. https://www.facebook.com/SeattleEA/videos/1231355567622253/

WSB September 3, 2022 (1:24 am)

Thanks, would have been effective if they’d sent a media note about that too as that’s how they’ve been communicating in recent days, have not yet received a reply to my inquiry, although the social-media comments about SPS negotiators wanting to take a long weekend don’t seem to align with the SPS statement that they are available Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Maybe we’ll get a statement in the morning … er, later this morning.

Patent September 3, 2022 (7:13 am)

It seems like the norm for SPS/SEA negotiations is to wait until the last minute and hold parents (and their employers) hostage. Would it be unreasonable to have deadlines such that if they won’t agree it goes to mediation with plenty of time to spare before classes start?

Bill September 3, 2022 (11:29 am)

It should be a law. Also failing mediation, the district folks should lose their jobs and the SEA folks should lose their position in the union and be ineligible to run for election for five years. If either of these groups was actually putting children first, we wouldn’t get to this spot year after year.

vee September 3, 2022 (8:50 am)

if students came first SPS would have settle this , no excuses , should never have school delayed, they should be ashamed, hard ot support or have any respect

LisaS September 3, 2022 (9:52 am)

As usual, the only thing SPS cares about is holding on to their billions of “rainy day” money instead of supporting our most vulnerable students – the students that they claim to put their full focus on every year, but never do. Returning to “normal” last year was amazing and challenging. Not only were teachers expected to do their regular curriculum that they had not done in person for two years, they also had to teach AND nurture hundreds of kids every day because they were a mess! They lost two years of hanging with their peeps at a very crucial time in their lives. It seems to me like this is a perfect “rainy day” time to put up or shut up.

Josh September 3, 2022 (10:26 pm)

Why again were students not in person for 2 years in particular the second year? Oh yeah the union refused to allow it.People saying the district is sitting on billions of dollars like Smaug on a pile of treasure are insane.Why didn’t they resolve this over the summer? Because they don’t care about anything but their vacation plans. Both sides have fault here but clearly the issue is weighted towards the union thinking that this stall until they can force a strike while their membership is not on vacation is clearly the deciding factor towards the current timeline. As someone who has proudly represented fellow nurses in a union during negotiation I can say the side avoiding mediation is the side that knows their demands can not be met. E.G. if your proposals are valid and achievable you should welcome mediation. Huge red flag.
- LisaS September 4, 2022 (4:36 pm)
  
  They have been meeting all summer. They were making good progress but then the district just walked away with less than a week before the start of school. The district does have millions. Every year they always over estimate how much they need for the year. Then they realize that they’ve overestimated and keep the money away for a ‘rainy day’. This has been going on for years. So there is enough $$ to spend on properly funding special education, multilingual, and staff salaries. We need to make education more valuable – most people would not be where they are without their k-12 education.

Ed September 3, 2022 (11:21 am)

The District’s email to parents says they are bargaining every day. That is a lie — they canceled negotiations Friday and Saturday. Why would the District cancel at the last minute? The request for mediation seems like a ploy to distract from the fact that they left the negotiating table for 2 days when there is no time to lose.

Here’s the exact misinformation from SPS: “We remain focused on starting school next week. The SPS bargaining team continues negotiations every day. ”

Mrs. myrtle September 3, 2022 (12:16 pm)

There never seems to be much empathy for the parents that will have to miss work for lack of last minute child care. For many affluent families it won’t be a problem, for others it could mean missing critical income to support their family. There’s all this spin from both sides about how the contract negotiations are centered around equity for our most vulnerable kids. Yet, here we are. Maybe at least a “sorry?” Hope SPS enjoys its Labor Day break!

LisaS September 4, 2022 (4:42 pm)

None of us want to strike because of this very reason. We know that this puts a huge burden on families (like myself) that need to work to support their family. As a classified staff for SPS, I do not get paid for the days I don’t work. But I’m tired of education/educators getting walked over every year by the district – we deserve better.

wsteacher September 3, 2022 (12:35 pm)

Why didn’t SPS show up to a bargaining session? Double speak from the district as usual.

Mickey September 7, 2022 (9:06 pm)

SPS said they’d be at the table if SEA agreed to a mediator. SEA refused. Believe the mud slinging if you want. As an adult, I find it petty and embarrassing for both sides. The kids get the short end of the stick.

ST September 3, 2022 (2:23 pm)

It’s too bad this has turned into a PR fight in the media and on social media. Figure it out. This is maddening. A lot of kids have learning deficits from all of the in person time missed during the pandemic. Most parents don’t have the luxury of taking more time off work to deal with a strike.

Smoosh September 3, 2022 (10:45 pm)

If SPS knows they can’t meet SEAs demands without mediation there is no point to bargain unless SEA relays a willingness to recognize that contracts are basically about allocating a certain amount of money and that there is not enough money to meet their demands. SEA can scream to the high heavens but unless money appears out of nowhere or they agree to release some of their demands then there is no point to negotiating and mediation is necessary.Dont worry, the teacher solidarity will crumble about a week in when their membership realizes a prolonged strike will mean showing up to work in July……

teacher September 4, 2022 (5:41 pm)

The sticking point for most of us elementary teachers is the vague language for special education staffing ratios. SEA actually sent out an encouraging email to staff after their last bargaining session that the district was working well with them then without advanced notice the district was a no-show to Friday’s bargain session and also cancelled Saturday’s bargaining. Teachers want to be in school, but we want supports in place for the kids that need them when school is in session too.

Concerned for Educators September 4, 2022 (2:33 pm)

Curious why the school district is screaming for mediation when there has been back and forth negotiations and there hasn’t been an impasse that signals time for a mediator. Sounds like the district is trying to pull the world over the public’s eye again, just like their willingness to actually negotiate in good faith with the educator union, whereas the union has shown up willing to do so. As it is, the district wants to make special education students and educators and support staff 5th class citizens.

Sorry, comment time is over.