Education
(2009-09-04)
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Picket signs being distributed in Kent to striking teachers.
Courtesy KOMO TV.
There appears to be renewed urgency after Thursday's ruling by a King County judge ordered teachers back to work by Tuesday.
"The stakes have risen dramatically here," says labor expert Liz Ford, who teaches law at Seattle University. Ford says the injunction order changes the atmosphere at the negotiating table.
"The benefit is to sort of engage in this kind of brinksmanship to try to bring everybody back to the table and push them towards an agreement. I think the downside of it is, at the same it's creating pressure it's also making people on both sides feel more angry," Ford said.
Some 1,300 Kent teachers are scheduled to convene again on Monday night. By then there may be a proposal ready for a vote. If not, they're faced with a decision to either comply with the order to return to work, or defy the judge and continue picket lines on Tuesday. If that were to happen, it would be up to district leaders to decide whether to resume negotiations, or fire the striking teachers. It all depends on how much progress is made over the Labor Day weekend. Gary Davis, KPLU News.
Kent School District Labor Negotiation Update web page
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