On March 1, WEASO began contract negotiations with our employer, WEA. Since then, there has been very little progress and our contract expires on August 31.

WEA and WEASO have jointly agreed to mediation and have only four more dates scheduled before October 1.

If an agreement has not been reached by the end of the workday on October 2, WEASO members have voted to go on strike beginning October 3. We chose this date to provide the bargaining teams more time to reach an agreement through mediation.

Just like educators, we want respect, dignity and fair working conditions.

Just like WEA members do in their bargains, we’ve proposed improvements to our working conditions and wages. We understand that neither party can expect to “win” everything they’re asking for, but that workers and management should talk about solutions that work for everyone. But in meeting after meeting, WEA management simply isn’t talking.

WEASO understands the importance of the long-term economic stability of this organization. We want and need it to be healthy, thriving and sustainable, both for the sake of WEA members and our own sake as workers.

Many WEASO members came from WEA membership and we believe deeply in a strong, healthy member-led WEA. That’s why you will find us working daily with WEA leaders and members to maintain and enforce their contract rights, improve working and learning conditions in public schools, and advocate for public school initiatives.

WEASO needs our employer, WEA, to engage in good faith bargaining by scheduling more mediation dates before October 2, provide clarity on their proposals, provide timely responses to counters, and prioritize reaching a fair agreement by October 2.