Judges: No penalties but Washington teacher strikes illegal

LONGVIEW, Wash. – Judges in Washington state ruled against teacher unions for striking, though no penalties were imposed.

School district leaders in Tumwater in Thurston County and Longview in Cowlitz County both filed injunctions after their respective teacher unions went on strike over pay raises.

Local bargaining units at most of the state’s 295 school systems have sought to renegotiate salaries this year after the state infused $1 billion for teacher pay to resolve the long-running McCleary court battle, which determined that the Evergreen State was inadequately funding public education.

Both county judges on Friday sided with the districts, saying the teacher strikes are illegal but neither imposed any penalties.

The judges urged both sides to work together to get the teachers back to school.

Union leaders slammed the districts for “bully tactics.”