Kent teachers reach tentative agreement to end strike
KENT, Wash. - Kent teachers have reached a tentative agreement to end their two-week-old strike against the district, a union official says.
The accord came around 7 p.m. Sunday during weekend talks between the Kent School District and union negotiators, union spokesman Dale Folkerts said.
Folkerts said teachers will vote on the contract proposal Monday morning at 8:30 a.m.
Negotiators for teachers and the Kent School District negotiated all weekend in a last-ditch effort to end the nation's only teachers strike.
"Our bargaining team has been working day and night trying to get a compromise agreement," Folkerts said.
Folkerts said the two sides made progress on some issues, such as class size. Then the final breakthrough came as evening approached.
The agreement drew cheers from dozens of teachers who rallied in downtown Kent as Kent Education Association President Lisa Brackin Johnson formally announced the accord.
Folkerts refused to disclose any elements of the contract, saying details would be released only after the district's 1,800 teachers were informed.
The district is the fourth-largest in Washington, and more than 26,000 students are out of their classrooms.
King County Superior Court Judge Andrea Darvas had previously ordered each teacher in the district to pay $200 per day in fines if they did not return to school by Monday.
If teachers vote to approve the contract, classes will resume on Tuesday, Folkerts said.
The accord came around 7 p.m. Sunday during weekend talks between the Kent School District and union negotiators, union spokesman Dale Folkerts said.
Folkerts said teachers will vote on the contract proposal Monday morning at 8:30 a.m.
Negotiators for teachers and the Kent School District negotiated all weekend in a last-ditch effort to end the nation's only teachers strike.
"Our bargaining team has been working day and night trying to get a compromise agreement," Folkerts said.
Folkerts said the two sides made progress on some issues, such as class size. Then the final breakthrough came as evening approached.
The agreement drew cheers from dozens of teachers who rallied in downtown Kent as Kent Education Association President Lisa Brackin Johnson formally announced the accord.
Folkerts refused to disclose any elements of the contract, saying details would be released only after the district's 1,800 teachers were informed.
The district is the fourth-largest in Washington, and more than 26,000 students are out of their classrooms.
King County Superior Court Judge Andrea Darvas had previously ordered each teacher in the district to pay $200 per day in fines if they did not return to school by Monday.
If teachers vote to approve the contract, classes will resume on Tuesday, Folkerts said.