Kennewick school teachers begin to picket outside schools

KENNEWICK, Wash. — The Kennewick Education Association are officially on strike, and have begun picketing Tuesday morning.

On Monday it was decided that the strike would take place after no deal was met between the union and the Kennewick School District.

Currently, teachers and supporters are outside the schools that make up the district holding signs which say “on strike.”

The school closure will affect 19,000 students and about 13,000 families.

The district said it has offered a 7.25% salary increase.

The union said it wants the teacher pay to be comparable to neighboring school systems and that it will negotiate at the bargaining table instead of in public.