(The Center Square) – As local educators prepare to strike, the Moses Lake School District reaffirmed a commitment on Friday to obtaining a “fair and financially responsible” labor agreement with the union.
Nearly all of the members of the Moses Lake Education Association voted Thursday to launch a strike if they don’t reach an agreement with MLSD by the day after Thanksgiving. MLEA posted a statement on Facebook after 90% supported the call to picket, noting it would start at a later date to be determined.
MLSD issued a news release on Tuesday after requesting mediation with MLEA as part of ongoing labor negotiations that began in June. The district says mediation reflects a commitment to reaching a “fair, sustainable” agreement, but MLEA says that it must include “the support we need to effectively teach.”
“Our community has been through a lot the past eighteen months,” Superintendent Carol Lewis wrote in a statement on Friday. “We remain committed to respectful, productive discussions with [MLEA;] … Our focus is on supporting our students, honoring all staff, and ensuring long-term financial stability.”
Last year, back-to-back levy failures and accounting errors resulted in a $20 million deficit, prompting MLSD to lay off more than 250 educators. The decision saved the district about that much at the time.
Salary and benefits account for 84.5%, or $122.2 million, of MLSD’s 2025-2026 budget. With MLEA’s labor agreement set to expire soon, the district wants to save money wherever it can. Voters approved a levy on the third attempt in February, but MLSD is still $8 million short of 2023-2024 funding levels.
MLSD explained in a news release on Friday that if MLEA strikes, it may temporarily suspend classes.
“If a work stoppage is initiated by the Association, it would be unsafe and illegal for the District to attempt instruction and student supervision without our [MLEA] staff,” according to the Friday news release. “The district will notify families immediately if a change in schedule or operations occurs.”
MLSD’s priorities include: reaching a “fair” and sustainable agreement, long-term financial stability, acting as responsible stewards of public tax dollars, supporting “all” employees, clear communication with all parties involved, including students and parents, and keeping promises tied to the new levy.
Another measure MLSD took to overcome its budget woes was cutting 30 minutes from elementary education at the beginning of the year. It also cut several specialist programs, prompting calls from the community for a forensic audit, which MLSD repeatedly declined before voters approved the levy.
Eliminating fitness, music and other programs left the teachers with little time to prepare for class.
While residents passed the most recent levy last February, MLSD can’t collect those taxes until 2026.
“With the district still refusing to listen to and address our concerns, through a vote that passed by 90% of the membership present, MLEA members made the difficult decision to authorize the executive board to call a strike,” the union posted to Facebook on Thursday night. “While we all want to be back in our classrooms with our students, we must have the supports we need to effectively teach them.”
