Seattle educators to rally as potential strike looms

Educators’ collective bargaining agreement expires today; a strike could start Wednesday, if no agreement is reached on a new contract 

SEATTLE, WA (August 31, 2026) — Seattle educators are continuing to prepare their classrooms and bargain a fair contract as the scheduled start of the school year looms. Negotiations continued through the weekend, although not without interruption; Seattle Education Association (SEA) bargaining team members reported Saturday that the District had walked away from the table, with many outstanding issues still not resolved.

“The district continues to insist on Special Education cuts that would hurt kids, damage learning outcomes, and add to the pressure on educators,” said SEA on Saturday. “It wants to pay us less than inflation, despite the union’s willingness to move multiple times. And the employer’s proposals do not provide any meaningful relief from pressurization for many educators.”

Educators gathered over the weekend to make picket signs, connect with strike captains, and hear updates from bargaining team members. Photo: SEA

The SEA bargaining team and district then met with a mediator Sunday evening, although no substantive progress was reported on key issues.

“SEA will be back and willing to meet at any time tomorrow and every day until we achieve a tentative agreement,” per a press release from the union Sunday. “Major sticking points continue to be adequate Special Education supports, respectful wages, and reduction of the pressurization on our jobs caused by large class sizes and caseloads, increasing additional tasks, and little planning time.”

As SEA bargaining team members stand ready to negotiate today, Seattle educators are headed to their schools for prep days before the scheduled start of the school year on Wednesday and calling parents, students, and community members to rally with them on Tuesday to urge the district to agree to a fair contract.

“Nobody wants to go on strike, but if the district forces us to, we will,” said SEA.

TAKE A STAND: Rally with Seattle educators, students, and families on Tuesday, September 1 at 5:00 p.m. at the John Stanford Center (2445 3rd Ave S., Seattle).