Dispatch from the line: Mt. Vernon paras strike

Mount Vernon School District Paraeducators’ strike continues into the second day 

By KARL DE JONG

MOUNT VERNON, WA (August 29, 2024) — Paraeducators and classified staff in the Mount Vernon School District walked off the job on Wednesday, launching a strike to demand better pay and working conditions. The employees, represented by Public School Employees of Washington (PSE) SEIU Local 1948, say they will continue striking every workday until their demands are met.

Negotiations between the union and the school district have stalled, with no agreement reached on a new contract. The workers are seeking a fair wage increase and improved benefits, arguing that the district’s current proposal falls short of their needs. Many paraeducators and classified staff members, who support students in critical ways, have expressed frustration over low pay and lack of respect for their roles.

Iris Carias on the line. Photo: Karl de Jong

“We’re out here because we deserve fair treatment and a living wage,” said Iris Carias, an ESL paraeducator and City of Mount Vernon Councilmember, while on the picket line. “We’re committed to our students, but we also need to take care of our families.”

The strike has drawn widespread support. Estimates put the number of participants at a few hundred, including teachers from both within and outside the district, as well as members from other unions in the building trades, maritime sector, aerospace machinists, transportation, grocery workers, and retired teachers.

WSLC VPs Janie White and Karl de Jong. Photo: Karl de Jong

Children, from infants to teenagers, stood alongside them, as did fellow Mount Vernon City Councilmembers Richard Brocksmith and Andrew Vander Stoep (IBEW 191), and many other community members. Also present were WSLC, AFL-CIO Vice Presidents Karl de Jong (IATSE and IUPAT) and Janie White (WEA), who joined in the picketing.

The strike line is active in front of the Mount Vernon School District Office at 124 E Lawrence St from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.