Tacoma teachers contract expires, is a strike next?

With school scheduled to start tomorrow, Tacoma teachers are still without a contract.

The teachers and the district bargained late into the night last night but couldn’t reach an agreement before their three-year contract expired at midnight.

The teachers could decide to strike or agree to start school on time and allow bargaining to continue. The teachers are meeting at four-thirty this afternoon at Mount Tahoma High School to decide what action to take.

Because of budget cuts, the district wants to allow larger class sizes. Teachers say that will make it harder for kids to learn. Meanwhile, in Bellevue teachers have reached a tentative agreement. They’ll vote on the contract this afternoon. School is scheduled to start their next Tuesday.