Cheney teachers vote to strike if district, union don’t reach contract agreement before the first day of school

Cheney teachers will strike when school starts Aug. 27 if the union and school district don’t reach an agreement on their new contract by then, the teachers’ union membership voted at a meeting Tuesday night.

“A strike on the first day of school would show our district and our community that we are committed to making sure that we have the supports in place in our schools with a fair contract,” said Meridth Lemelin, union president and fifth grade teacher. “That can’t happen without a fair contract. So that’s my hope, and that’s what I see happening.”

Of the 224 union members who attended the meeting at Cheney High School, 96% voted to authorize a strike if a tentative agreement is not met the night before school starts.

In a provided statement, Cheney Superintendent Ben Ferney called the vote “deeply disappointing.”

“Even with this outcome, we remain focused on reaching a resolution that will allow our students to return to school as quickly as possible – ideally on schedule on August 27th,” the statement read. “We value our educators and recognize the critical role they play in our students’ success.”

Teachers’ three-year contract is up for renewal, and representatives from the school district and Cheney Education Association have been at the table 15 times since May to negotiate a new contract. As negotiations continue, they’ve reached tentative agreements on 44 articles in the contract, but “union and district priorities remain far apart,” a statement from the union read.

Compensation was among teachers’ priorities in drawing a new contract.

According to an update from the district, the union proposed a 19.2% pay increase over two years: 8.2% next school year, followed by an estimated 11% raise the next year.

The district countered with an 18% salary increase over the next three years: 7.2% the first year, then 5% and 5.8% in the next two years.

“We believe this offer reflects our commitment to fairly compensating our teachers while ensuring the long-term sustainability of our district,” the statement read.

The district’s established priorities in negotiating a contract include ensuring their fund balance stays no less than 5% of the general fund with a goal of 7%, keeping a “sustainable contract” without reducing staff or cutting programs and considering community input.

In Cheney, teacher salaries ranged from $48,400 to $94,500, per the expiring contract bargained three years ago.

The average salary for full-time teachers in Cheney is lower than many other districts in the county. Not counting supplemental pay, the average teacher pay in Cheney was $71,800 in the 2021-22 school year and $72,100 the following year, the latest data available on the state’s database. Comparatively, in larger districts, Spokane Public School teachers averaged a base pay of $80,400 and $85,600 in those years. Central Valley teachers’ base pay was $81,800 to $87,100 in those years.

Teachers in the smaller districts also earned more than their Cheney counterparts. East Valley teachers’ base pay averaged to $92,800 in the 2022-23 school year, West Valley teachers averaged $80,700.

Lemelin said by keeping Cheney’s pay consistent with other districts in the area, Cheney can stay competitive to “retain and recruit” staff who may otherwise be pulled to neighboring districts who pay more, sometimes up to $20,000. That’s how much more kindergarten teacher Chrissy Scott said she would make if she moved to Spokane Public Schools.

“The mood in there – people are pretty riled up about where we are compensated compared to other districts,” said Snowden kindergarten teacher Chrissy Scott. She’s taught a total of 27 years, 15 of them in Cheney.

Lemelin listed names of former Cheney teachers she knows who’ve been attracted to the higher salaries of other districts.

“We have teachers actively keeping an eye on the job postings out in Mead and Spokane and West Valley and Medical Lake, because they know that they can make more money and still work really hard for students,” Lemelin said.

Cheney Education Association represents the approximate 350 teachers in Cheney Public Schools. There are 5,600 students enrolled in the district that encompasses Cheney, the West Plains and Airway Heights.

If an agreement is not reached before the first day of school, leading the teachers to strike, it will be up to the school district to decide if they continue school. There are two more bargaining sessions scheduled before then.

“If the CEA moves forward with a strike, we will keep you informed about how this will impact school district operations,” Ferney provided in a statement. “Thank you for being patient as we work through this challenging situation.”