Yelm educators plan to strike Tuesday, Sept. 3

YELM, Wash. - Yelm educators plan to strike on Tuesday, September 3, if they are unable to reach an agreement with Yelm Community Schools, according to a union representing them.

In a release sent by the Yelm Education Association (YEA), it said 97.5% of its members voted to approve the strike if no ratified tentative agreement has been reached.

The union claims Yelm Community Schools administrators have refused to offer educators a fair deal, which includes competitive compensation and equitable class sizes.

According to the release, the school district plans to cut planning time for elementary teachers, eliminate overload payments, and is refusing to put limits on special education and counseling caseloads, among other concerns.

The planned strike comes after the school district has already cut 100 positions due to a levy failing by 240 votes. This caused some middle and high school sports programs to be cut.

"We want our students to be successful so we need to have manageable class sizes and time to work with students to provide a quality education," said Kat Cullum, YEA Co-President and middle school teacher. "Our community expects our district to keep high quality educators and attract new ones. In order to do so, we need a fair contract that prioritizes student success."

YEA and Yelm Community Schools are working with a state-appointed mediator. YEA represents about 350 certificated educators in the Yelm School District.

A spokesperson from Yelm Community Schools provided the following statement in response to the planned strike:

"The district has been engaged in ongoing negotiations with the Yelm Educators Association (YEA), our teachers union, to address a range of important issues. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we have not yet reached an agreement; and the union has authorized a possible strike.

"We fully recognize how deeply this affects our students and families. We are committed to working diligently to find a resolution that respects the needs and concerns of our teachers while also ensuring that our students receive the quality education they deserve.

"The district remains focused on reaching an agreement as quickly as possible. We value our teachers and understand their vital role in the success of our students, and we are striving to find common ground that benefits everyone involved."