Press

We are saddened to hear about the tragic accident involving North Seattle College students and employees which occurred today on the Aurora Bridge. We represent the faculty and professional staff at North Seattle College and understand that two of our members were on the bus.

Statement by AFT Washington President Karen Strickland

It is refreshing to see the House take bold action to address the revenue crisis in Washington State.

I was especially pleased that the House budget begins to reverse the budget cuts of the last six years and recognizes that students carry too much of the cost of education by freezing tuition. However, tuition has risen to compensate for significant state disinvestment in higher education over the years. A substantial infusion of funding is needed in order to ensure the high-quality education we expect from our colleges and universities. A key ingredient of this high quality is the faculty. While funding the Cost of Living Adjustment is much appreciated by our membership, our community and technical college faculty continue to earn salary steps, which once again are unfunded for the fourth consecutive biennia.

In an effort to address the state’s declining investment in higher education, students, faculty, community organizations, and labor unions will meet on Saturday, Oct. 25^th, in Tacoma to develop strategies and solutions to reverse this trend during the 2015 legislative session.

Washington State is ranked fourth in the country for decreased state funding per full-time equivalent (FTE) and ninth in the country for the largest tuition increases during 2008-2012.

May 9, 2014

 Saturday, May 17, Doors open at 11:30 AM - Seattle Center Exhibition Hall

The American Federation of Teachers in Washington State (AFT Washington, AFL-CIO) is holding a book giveaway and community resource fair to get free books into the hands of local public school students to support their literacy and educational success. Mayor Ed Murray is scheduled to attend as well as award-winning author and UW Professor Emeritus Charles Johnson and his daughter Elisheba Johnson co-authors of “The Adventures of Emery Johns, Boy Science Wonder: Bending Time.”