Arizona teachers to strike Thursday

It's part of their ongoing bid to get increased school spending and raises.

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Last week, in response to Arizona teachers’ Red for Ed initiative, Gov. Doug Ducey vowed to give teachers a 20 percent raise by 2020. But for Arizona teachers that offer still fell short of their dream package.


Led by Arizona Educators Association  and Arizona Educators United Arizona teachers will continue with their planned strike if Ducey doesn’t add to his 20 percent pay raise a billion dollar increase in school funding and a return to pre-2008 education spending levels.


The statewide strike is planned for Thursday. But Arizona is a Right to Work state and Arizona teachers aren’t unionized. They are illegal.


The AEA and the AEU say they’ll call off the strike if Ducey meets their demands by Tuesday at 5 p.m. Page teachers will gather Thursday morning at 7:30 to organize themselves and then they'll protest at various spots around Page.


If Page teachers strike on Thursday the school district will treat it the same as a snow day, said Superintendent Rob Varner in a letter explaining the situation to the parents of Page students.


Varner’s memo continued. “Friday, April 27, 2018 is already scheduled as a non-work/non-contract day for all staff and students.


“By law, I, nor our governing board, are allowed to endorse a walk out since it is illegal in Arizona, however, we strongly support advocacy toward greater funding for public education and salaries.”