Ridgefield educators reach tentative deal to end strike

RIDGEFIELD, Wash. (Sept. 19, 2022) — The following was released Sunday night by the Ridgefield Education Association:

Ridgefield Education Association (REA) has reached a tentative contract agreement with Ridgefield School District, ending a six-day strike. School will resume Monday, Sept. 19.

The tentative agreement was reached shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday. Details of the tentative agreement will be shared with members at the general membership meeting held Tuesday at Union Ridge Elementary School, 330 N. 5th Ave., in Ridgefield.

Ridgefield teachers have been on strike since Sept. 9. REA members overwhelmingly voted on Aug. 29 to authorize their executive board to call a strike if it was deemed necessary to reach an agreement. After the REA team bargained through Labor Day weekend with no deal from RSD, the REA executive board voted Sept. 5 to begin a strike if no deal was reached by Sept. 9.

“We extend our deepest gratitude to the many families, community members, union siblings and students who backed us,” Ridgefield Education Association Co-Presidents Elizabeth Stamp and Kara Breuer said. “We should all be proud of what we accomplished and what we stood up for: student supports and respect for educators.”

REA represents about 240 teachers and other certificated staff in the Ridgefield School District.