Clark County teacher’s union to announce strike plans today
The teachers’ union is expected to make an announcement Tuesday morning regarding a potential strike if its demands are not met in contract talks with the Clark County School District.
The Clark County Education Association, which has threatened to strike for months, has given the district until Thursday to propose an acceptable contract for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years but has not yet said what actions it plans to take if such an offer is not forthcoming.
The union, which said Friday that Superintendent Jesus Jara has “turned his back” on educators, has sought a 3 percent raise, a 2 percent salary increase for those who move up a step in the pay schedule and an increase in the district’s health care contributions.
Though the district said in an email to employees last week that it plans to propose a contract with those features, the two parties have not agreed on salary increases for teachers who completed enough professional development activities to advance across a column in the salary table.
John Vellardita, executive director of the union, said the group will make an announcement online and via social media around 9 a.m. Tuesday.
The union announced that members voted to authorize a strike this school year if the district made any budget cuts as a result of lack funding but did not initiate a strike during the first week of school despite a $17 million deficit that forced middle and high schools to cut $98 per student from their budgets.
Contact Amelia Pak-Harvey at apak-harvey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4630. Follow @AmeliaPakHarvey on Twitter.