Snohomish Education Association Teacher Financial Details

Published on HeraldNet on Monday, September 16, 2002

Snohomish teachers' strike still unresolved

By Diana Hefley
Herald Writer

SNOHOMISH -- Contract negotiations between the Snohomish School District and the teachers union broke off after just 10 minutes Sunday without resolution to a strike that stretches into its third week today.

Both sides met for about four hours on Friday, giving hope to the parents of about 8,200 students that their children would be returning to the classroom in the coming days. But talks broke down again on Sunday with no new proposals from the school district or the Snohomish Education Association.

"We feel like the district is more like punishing us for going on strike than bargaining in good faith," union president Kit Raney said. "I'm incredibly disappointed."

The teachers went on strike Sept. 4 after three months of bargaining failed to yield a contract for the district's 470 teachers. The key issues continue to be salary increases and insurance costs.

"This is not a matter of holding out for the sake of holding out," district spokeswoman J. Marie Merrifield said. "The district put all its money on the table Labor Day weekend."

No new bargaining sessions have been scheduled.

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