Teacher strikes: Participants should pay a price

I am all for teachers who want to strike for what they want — more pay, better schools, etc. But since strikes are illegal in Washington state, teachers should also pay a price.

School district lawyers should go to a judge when a strike begins and ask to fine the Washington Education Association $500 a day, per teacher, while the strike is on. This way teachers will have some skin in the game.

Every other union member is relegated to “strike pay” until the labor action is over. But a teacher loses no income because state law mandates how many days a year a student must attend.

It’s time that teachers, through their union, pay a price for illegal strikes.