Ridgefield teachers strike, demand contract addressing student needs

The following is from the Ridgefield Education Association:

RIDGEFIELD, Wash. (Sept. 9, 2022) — Despite intensive bargaining over the last week, the Ridgefield teachers and Ridgefield School District could not reach agreement on a new contract Thursday night. REA members will begin striking Friday morning until a tentative agreement is reached with the district.

While progress has been made toward an agreement, the RSD team has refused to use its available funding to provide more mental health supports, improvements for special education students and a better program for student interventions. District leaders can’t just talk about making these a priority; solutions must be in writing in our contract.

“None of us want to be on strike, but ignoring our dysfunctional intervention program, unsafe staffing levels and the need for more counselors when the district has the money to do something about it is unacceptable,” REA Co-President Elizabeth Stamp said. “We are united with the Ridgefield community demanding what our students deserve and we’re calling on the district to do the right thing.”

TAKE A STAND — — Support Ridgefield educators by sending a message to the Ridgefield School Board to offer them a fair contract.

The REA membership voted on Aug. 29, with 92% approval, 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.

REA agreed to an extra unscheduled bargaining session this evening, hoping the district was ready to come to an agreement on student supports. Unfortunately, the district’s offer did not go far enough to support students in our district. We’re ready to return to the bargaining table tomorrow. Ridgefield teachers have been working without a contract since Sept. 1.

The REA team appreciates the overwhelming support from the community.

REA represents the more than 200 certificated educators in the Ridgefield School District.