Opinion: Union greed closed schools in Port Angeles

Liv Finne of the Washington Policy Center offers a recent example to remind others that strikes by public school employees are illegal under state law.


Liv Finne of the Washington Policy Center offers a recent example to remind others that strikes by public school employees are illegal under state law

Liv Finne
Washington Policy Center

A couple of weeks ago on Monday April 8, the WEA union called an illegal strike to close the public schools in the Port Angeles School District, denying educational access to 3,500 children. Strikes by public school employees are illegal under state law.

Liv Finne, Washington Policy Center
Liv Finne, Washington Policy Center

That law didn’t stop the union, however. The union wanted more money.

The following day, on Tuesday, the district obtained a court order from the Clallam County Superior Court requiring the union to return to work. The purpose of the order was to ensure that children are not harmed by a political dispute created by adults.

The union executives ignored the judge’s order. The public schools in Port Angeles were closed for that entire week.

As noted, the cause of this dispute is union greed. The union shut the schools to gain leverage in ongoing contract negotiations. Not surprisingly the hold-up was the union’s insistence on a large pay raise. Public records show average teacher pay in Port Angeles is $92,600 plus $30,000 in benefits. For comparison, average worker salary in Port Angeles is $46,969.  

Port Angeles public school teachers work for 10 months of the year and in addition receive four weeks of paid vacation. Most other workers work 12 months and may get two or three weeks of vacation.

Public employees do not have the right to strike under Washington law: RCW 41.56.120.  Strikes by public employees are illegal.

Both research and common sense prove that union strikes that close schools hurt students and disrupt the lives of working families. Such illegal closures are especially harmful to students after the extended COVID school shutdowns that significantly damaged the academic learning of Washington’s 1.06 million public school students. Large numbers of Port Angeles students were denied access to the public education they are promised. Recent test scores show Port Angeles school officials failed to teach 49 percent of students adequately in English, failed to teach 59% adequately in math, and failed to teach 54 percent adequately in science.

The WEA union regularly strikes to close local schools during contract negotiations. This illegal strategy often results in higher pay and benefits for the union. Districts find it impossible to resist the political pressure, so they often agree to extreme union pay demands to get schools open.

Calling illegal strikes reveals the union’s contempt for democracy. Our democracy depends on all citizens, even unions, following democratically enacted rules. No one should be above the laws. Now the WEA union has gone as far as defying a return-to-work order from the Clallam County Superior Court.

Clearly, any union that thinks it is above the law should be de-certified, so teachers can seek more ethical representation.

One remedy the court could have used in this instance would have been to decertify the WEA union. Monetary fines are not enough to deter the arrogant and wealthy union, where Larry Delaney, the president, makes $312,000.  

As a final insult, Rebecca Winter, the president of the local union, also lied to the media:

“What we are doing is right…. “We just want to get back to our kids,” said Winters, choking up. “I just keep thinking about our kids.”

She clearly lied. If union president Winter had really wanted to “get back to our kids” she wouldn’t have called the strike in the first place. But for her, gaining access to more public money is a powerful motivator, even if she harms Port Angeles families and the rule of law in the process.

Liv Finne is the director of the Center for Education at the Washington Policy Center.


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3 Comments

  1. Law

    Koch brothers funded State Policy Network affiliates, such as the Washington Policy Center, for which the author, Ms. Finne works, are, as all corporate-minded, right-wing orgs, inherently anti-union. Collective bargaining puts power in the hands of workers, where it should be. Corporatists hate that.
    While it is unfortunate to have to disrupt the school session, it is more important than ever that workers’ collective voices be heard, lest corporate interests steamroll us all. There is nothing greedy about demanding a living wage – in a world that is becoming ever more expensive, especially for professionals such as teachers who are very likely burdened with education-related debt and who would not be qualified to teach our children without having to fund their own education.

    Reply
    1. John Jenkins

      I usually try to hold my tongue but not this time. The WEA from the top….the State has a law on the books that says public workers cannot strike which the WEA is part of. The strike is illegal….period. The WEA intentionally broke the law. Knowing they are pressing their membership to obey. If I were a school board member I would move right now to decertify that union. When, a teachers average salary is $92k plus $30k in benefits and the average other citizen is make average $46K per year…..you are on the wrong side of the argument. None of your RIGHT WING crap stands. You clearly believe if a law is written that you do not agree with it does not apply to you…..and that is what is wrong with Liberals \ Democrats today. You believe you are above the law. In Portland, Oregon a lawsuit has been levied against the Teachers Union for striking…..about time. I worked for Local 11 once. Office union. They were challenged by my CEO. He told them to take an in-person vote one by one with one of their reps and a company rep….the union lost….the union walked out the door. ALL employees have been better off. This happened at the height of unions in Vancouver. It happened because 1 person had the courage to say….enough.

      Reply
  2. Kevin Talbot

    There is some serious misinformation in this opinion piece.

    First, RCW 41.56.120 only states that public employees do not have a legally protected right to strike or refuse to perform their duties. It is not illegal for them to strike per the RCW.
    The RCW says, “Right to strike not granted. Nothing contained in this chapter shall permit or grant any public employee the right to strike or refuse to perform his or her official duties.”

    Also, the AG’s office says:

    Right of teachers and other employees to strike
    1. State and local public employees, including teachers, have no legally protected right to strike. 2. State statute establishes no specific penalties for unlawful public employee strikes; in some cases, courts may grant injunctive relief to prevent or end unlawful strikes. 3. The Legislature could enact laws establishing penalties for unlawful public employee strikes, provided that such laws are consistent with protected free speech and other state and federal constitutional rights.

    Second point:

    On the PA school district website at https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1669149932/portangelesschoolsorg/xeh6hw2a3tkdsuughq69/CertSalarySchedule-222.pdf, the MAXIMUM base salary of a certified teacher is $96.693. It is impossible for the AVERAGE wage to be $96,200. Please provide evidence of where your data came from.

    Reply

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