CHENEY, Wash. — The Cheney Education Association voted to authorize a strike Tuesday evening.
In an email sent to the Cheney Public Schools community, superintendent Ben Ferney said the association's decision is "deeply disappointing," also saying that an authorization to strike is not a commitment to strike, but an option in the next steps for the association.
The teachers union and the district have been negotaiting for close to three months, trying to come to a mutual agreement about things like increasing future saleries for the next several school years.
In a Facebook post, the Cheney Education Association said 96% of the members at Tuesday's general membership meeting voted to go on strike starting on Tuesday, August 27, if a tentative agreement is not ratified by 6 p.m. on Monday, August 26.
The Cheney Education Association said the association and district "remain far apart in our priorities."
Cheney School District said they proposed an 18% salary increase over the next three years to their educators. This includes a 7.2% increase in the first year, a 5% increase in the second year and a 5.8% increase in the third year.
"We believe this offer reflects our commitment to fairly compensating our teachers while ensuring the long-term sustainability of our district," the school district said.
Cheney Public Schools said they are focused on a resolution that will allow students to return to school ideally on August 27.
"We have crunched out numbers and we know that our ask isn't going to cost anybody to have to lose their job. We aren't going to have to cut programs we aren't going to have to cut instruction or instruction needs of the students," said Meridth Lemelin, President of the Cheney Education Association.
There is a Cheney School Board meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21.
The union says an agreement must be made by 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26 to avoid a strike.