Just this past Thursday, workers at Evergreen Public Schools in Vancouver, Washington to be precise, made a big decision and I know I've been talking a lot about strikes going on but it's for good reason, it's mainly to create awareness of what's going on and how workers are getting mistreated.
The very union that represents paraeducators, bus drivers, maintenance staff and other support workers voted to go on strike. More than 92% of the members said yes to the strike. These days, when I research on strikes, the percentage is usually above 80 to 90 percent, showing how many of the workers agree to the mistreatment and shows just how strongly they feel about their situation.
Unless a new deal is reached, the strike will begin next week Tuesday, August 26, 2025.
Strikes are usually centered on paychecks and working conditions but this particular one is not just about paychecks, it is about respect, fairness and being valued for the important work these employees do.
The Evergreen Chapter of the Public School Employees of Washington represents about 1,400 workers. Not robots but human beings who keep schools running every day. Helping students learn in the classroom and making sure buses arrive safely and also the schools are kept clean. All that valuable work and yet many of them feel invisible, underpaid and underappreciated.
The Union has a president, Mindy Troffer Cooper, who said that the district told workers they don’t have the juice to strike. In other words, the district believed the employees were not strong or united enough to walk out. This is usually why employers mess with employees because they believe employees don't have the cards in their favor
That reminds me of what Donald Trump kept saying to Ukraine president which was basis for the vice president talking to him with disrespect but that's for another day.
The number of votes in this situation proved the district wrong. The statement of the workers is “Enough is enough.” They want a contract that shows their value and allows them to support their families effectively.
The strike also connects directly to students. When paraeducators, bus drivers and maintenance staff are treated poorly, students feel the impact. Almost like if parents are broke, children suffer needlessly.
Paraeducators usually have their work with students who need extra help and that very much include those with learning challenges. So the deal here is that if paraeducators are stressed or forced to leave because of low pay inevitably, the students lose vital support. When bus drivers are not respected, the student's safety on the road is at risk. Employers seem not to acknowledge the value of the work being done.
Also with the maintenance workers, you mess with them and make their work harder for them, the end results is that your school buildings may not be safe or clean for the students.
Across the country, school support staff usually face low wages, limited benefits and little recognition even though schools cannot function without them. I see some level of discrimination, I stand to be corrected. Yes, the heads of department do great job but the so called little jobs like bus driving or cleaning is as important. Every unit in a system is what makes the system function, so fairness is not a bargain it's necessary.
Many paraeducators earn close to minimum wage, even though they work with some of the most vulnerable students and achieve great progress with these students.
It's sad sometimes, you see Bus drivers working split shifts and still struggle to make ends meet. The maintenance and custodial workers put in long hours of their day to keep schools safe, but their efforts are almost always overlooked by the heads of the school board.
You've probably got your own story if you're in this category. A stressful job that is underappreciated is a painful one to be in. The injustice here is the employers expect these workers to give their best every day, yet they are rarely rewarded in return. I'm not saying it happens to all but to alot it does and this strike is evidence of that.
Most workers around the world are forced to settle for less than what they deserve and work for.
Schools cannot run without them,. I've said time and time again, a company or business cannot thrive without the underappreciated grass root workers so it's a recipe for disaster if they're being mistreated.
The outcome of this strike will not only affect Evergreen Public Schools, but it will also show other districts what happens when workers decide to stand together. Technically workers have more power, the only thing they need is the courage to stand together and enforce their rights.
All Screenshots of images used taken from YouTube so not my own
