Decision day: Strike vote arrives for Kent School District teachers

After a week of intense negotiations during which the Kent School District and the Kent Education Association met six times with a state-provided mediator, decision day for the teachers' union has arrived.

At tonight's member meeting, the union will either vote on a contract or vote to go on strike.

Neither side, however, expects a full agreement on contract issues before the and of negotiations today, however, and a strike vote is expected.

The union meeting will take place at 5 p.m. tonight at Kentlake High School, 21401 S.E. 300th St. It is closed to the media and the public, but an announcement is expected following the vote. Organizers say the meeting is expected to take approximately 90 minutes.

For more information about the negotiations and the differences between the two sides, visit www.kentschools.org (KEA site) or www.kent.k12.wa.us (the official district site). Patrons also can call a question line operated by the school district weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 253-373-7446.

For frequent updates to today's decision-making, be sure to check back regularly with the Covington Reporter Web site. We'll publish breaking news as soon as it becomes available to us.

Contact Covington Reporter Reporter Brian Beckley at bbeckley@courierherald.com.

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