Denver teachers to strike Monday, no deal made

UPDATE: Denver teachers officially announced they will be striking Monday after last-effort negotiations between the union representing Denver Public Schools’ educators and the school district failed to produce a deal Saturday.

According to The Denver Post, the two spent more than six hours of talks. The decision from The Denver Teacher Association’s decision to end talks comes after the union presented a counter offerer to DPS, which would reduce 150 positions in the district’s central office to help fund teacher pay over the next two years, freeing up $20 million.

It will be the first strike for teachers in Denver in over 25 years.

To read more about the deal, click here.

Previous Story:

If the Denver Teacher’s Union and School District do not come to an agreement this weekend, it will be the first time in 25 years that teachers will be on strike in the Mile High City.

To prepare for the potential strike, the Denver Classroom Teachers Association reached out to the Pueblo Education Association for some advice.

Last May, hundreds of Pueblo teachers went on strike for six days before they reached an agreement with District 60. Suzanne Ethredge the President of the union says their strike was a teachable one for others in Colorado.

“They learned a lot through our strike and that’s been taken forward in helping DCTA,” Ethredge said.

She says they fought for the same thing; the only difference is it’s a lot more expensive to live in Denver compared to Pueblo.

“It’s about a livable wage and respect for teachers,” said Ethredge.

As for a resolution, Ethredge says it’s going to happen eventually. As for how long the strike will last, that’s still up in the air.

Ethredge said, “Worst case scenario is that it will drag on for a while and then it will be a long drawn out process getting the settlement.”

She’s hoping a solution will happen sooner rather than later so teachers and students can return to the classroom.