Seattle Teachers Authorize Strike as Contract Negotiations Stall Ahead of School Year

Members of the Seattle Education Association (SEA) overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike, introducing uncertainty for the start of the school year in Washington's largest school district. The vote grants union leadership the authority to call a strike if Seattle Public Schools (SPS) does not present a satisfactory contract proposal before the scheduled first day of classes on September 2. Key sticking points in negotiations include wages, class sizes, educator workloads, and staffing for special education students, amidst an $87 million budget deficit for SPS.