News Summary
Evergreen Public Schools will remain closed as the strike by the Public School Employees union extends into its second week. The strike, affecting thousands of students, has resulted from failed negotiations between the district and union reps. While school buildings are closed, the Administrative Service Center operates as usual. Picketing efforts are ongoing, and the district is providing meals and expanded childcare options to support families during this challenging time.
Vancouver – Evergreen Public Schools will remain closed on Monday as the strike by the Public School Employees (PSE) union enters its second week. This strike, involving classified employees, has resulted in the cancellation of classes for the second consecutive Monday, impacting thousands of students across the district.
While all school buildings will be closed, the district’s Administrative Service Center will operate during normal hours from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The continued closure follows unsuccessful negotiations over the weekend between the district administration and union representatives.
Members of the PSE are scheduled to continue their picketing efforts at the District Office from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. The picketing location is situated at 13413 N.E. LeRoy Haagen Memorial Drive in Vancouver. Tension between the union and the district has risen as union officials dispute the district’s claim that they walked away from bargaining, describing this assertion as misleading. According to the union, they made five proposals to the district, which only responded with one counteroffer before requesting to end the negotiations.
Mindy Troffer-Cooper, the President of Evergreen PSE, noted that the union remains committed to negotiating in good faith, indicating that their aim is to support students rather than oppose them. Bargaining teams from the district met on Friday and Saturday and are set to reconvene on Monday morning in hopes of reaching a fair and sustainable agreement given the current budget constraints.
During the ongoing strike, the district is providing free meals to students at two high school locations. Meals will be distributed at Heritage High School from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and at Mountain View High School from 10 to 11:30 a.m. To assist families during the strike, child care options have been expanded. Right at School will conduct Family Care Camps at nine elementary schools from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, while the Clark County Family YMCA is offering camps for district students from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It is important to note that while middle and high school athletics and activities will continue, the district will not be providing transportation for these events. Families will receive schedules and pertinent details directly from their respective schools.
The strike began on August 22, coinciding with the scheduled return of students for the new school year, creating challenges for parents in arranging child care and meals. In a recent action, the Evergreen Public Schools Board of Directors voted unanimously on Friday to authorize legal measures against the striking workers, deeming the strike “unlawful.” This decision comes after the union voted against the district’s “final offer” the prior Thursday, adding to the complexity of the situation as negotiations proceed.
As the situation continues to develop, the district and union will need to find common ground to minimize disruption for students and families throughout the Vancouver area.
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Additional Resources
- KPTV: Evergreen Public Schools No Class Announcement
- KGW: Evergreen Public Schools Classes Canceled
- Washington State Standard: Strike Delays Start of Classes
- Seattle Times: Evergreen Public Schools Strike Continues
- KOIN: Class Canceled for Evergreen Public Schools
- Wikipedia: Teacher Strike
- Google Search: Evergreen Public Schools Strike
- Google Scholar: Evergreen Public Schools
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Teacher Union Strike
- Google News: Evergreen Public Schools
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