Cheney public schools are scheduled to begin classes on Tuesday.
Members of the Cheney Education Association, the union that represents Cheney teachers, voted Monday afternoon to ratify a new contract, averting a strike.
94% of members voted to ratify their new three-year contract, which includes their terms of employment and details of their workday, including class size, work hours, vacation and sick leave, teaching duties and compensation.
Union president Meridth Lemelin wrote in a statement that after “several stressful weeks” she was happy that classes would begin as planned for her and her other members.
“After advocating for competitive pay to attract and retain the best teachers and provide consistency for students across all Cheney Public Schools, the Cheney negotiating team and the district team were able to work toward an agreement that puts students and teachers first while ensuring a healthy budget for the school year,” the statement said.
Representatives of the union and the school district have been negotiating the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement for teachers since May. Last week, union members voted 96 percent in favor of a strike on the first day of school if the negotiating parties do not reach a tentative agreement on a collective bargaining agreement by then.
On Friday evening, the negotiators reached a preliminary agreement, with one day of negotiations remaining before the deadline.
Classes begin today for students in grades one through twelve. Kindergarten and preschool children begin on September 9.
The Cheney Education Association represents about 350 educators in the school district, which enrolls about 5,600 students.
