Teachers union looks to lawmakers to allow court-authorized strikes, reform arbitration process

Teachers strike posters line a whiteboard in a Clark County Education Association conference room on Aug. 23, 2019. (Photo by: April Corbin Girnus/Nevada Current)
The Clark County teachers union is pushing legislation to speed up the arbitration process and allow teachers to petition district court to allow them to legally go on strike.
If the Legislature doesn't pass the proposal — or if Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoes it — the union says it is prepared to make their case directly to Nevada voters through their 'right to strike' initiative, which is already slated to appear on the 2026 General Election ballot.
Clark County Education Association, which represents the approximately 18,000 teachers and licensed professionals within the Clark County School District, is backing Senate Bill 161. The bill would establish an expedited arbitration process for teachers unions and school districts, which could kick in if a contract has not been reached 75 days before the start of a new school year.
More controversially, the bill would also establish a pathway for K-12 public school teachers to legally go on strike, something they are currently prohibited from doing.
The bill, which was given an exemption from standard legislative deadlines, received its first hearing Wednesday night in the Senate Committee on Government Affairs. The bill was immediately passed out of committee on a 5-2 vote and is headed to the full Senate for possible consideration.
State Sen. Rochelle Nuygen, the Las Vegas Democrat sponsoring the bill, told the committee that the threshold set in SB 161 to authorize a strike is high. Teachers would have to make the case that their proposed strike would be 'equally or less detrimental' to students than remaining in schools that are failing them through existing policies or conditions.
The strike would also not apply to special education services, food services, mental health counseling, and after-school supervision.
Nguyen characterized it as a nuanced approach that meets the spirit of the state's existing anti-strike law while addressing the established pattern of prolonged arbitration between the fifth largest school district in the country and its largest bargaining unit.
In contrast, the right-to-strike ballot initiative would be a 'blunt instrument,' she argued. Nevada state law prohibits legislators from altering a law established through the initiative petition process for two regular sessions (so, four years) after it is approved by voters, so lawmakers couldn't quickly alter it if issues arose.
'That's the choice,' CCEA Executive Director John Vellardita told the Nevada Current in an interview. 'The choice is: This is going to be on the ballot in '26. We have the resources to run a successful campaign. We've done field research. We have the support.'
Bradley Schrager, an attorney who represented the teacher's union in numerous cases two years ago, pointed out in the bill hearing that CCSD and CCEA have reached a negotiation impasse and gone into arbitration four times in the past decade.
'There's only five two-year cycles in a decade,' he added.
The pattern of prolonged arbitration means teachers are routinely beginning the academic year without new contracts in place, which can be demoralizing and lead to poor teacher retention, argued CCEA members who spoke in support of the bill.
That was the case in 2023, when the Legislature and Lombardo approved a K-12 education budget they routinely described as 'historic' in its funding levels, only to see another impasse and months of public bickering between the district and union. That year, a contract agreement was reached in December, halfway through the school year.
That fall, a significant percentage of teachers at a handful of schools coordinated 'sickouts,' leading to those schools closing for one day. The court ruled it strike activity, which put the union at risk of punishment.
SB 161 'forces cooperation at a very early time,' said Schrager, and evens the playing field between the union and district.
But not everyone agrees with that sentiment.
Tom Clark, a lobbyist representing the Nevada Association of School Boards and the Reno+Sparks Chamber of Commerce, suggested teachers strikes would wreak havoc on communities, make national news, and cause pain and suffering to families. Tens of thousands of children could be left without childcare, he added.
'That's the leverage the strike gives to one side of the equation,' he said. 'That imbalance does nothing for negotiations, does nothing for the benefits of students, the teachers, the families, the people in our community that rely on the vital public service that our teachers and our schools provide.'
The Nevada State Education Association, whose affiliate units include teachers in non-Clark counties and support staff in CCSD, is opposed to the bill on the grounds it would give teacher's unions an unfair advantage over other bargaining groups. NSEA and CCEA have an antagonistic relationship with one another.
The Nevada Association of School Superintendents is also opposed, with lobbyist Mary Pierczynski arguing that states like Nevada have outlawed teacher strikes 'for very good reason.'
'The emphasis tonight has been on Clark County and CCEA but there are 17 school districts in our state and they will all be impacted,' she added.
CCSD did not participate in the hearing and has not expressed a public position on the bill. When contacted by the Current for comment, the district's media relations department stated it is tracking the bill.
'District staff work with legislators to monitor changes made to the language in bill drafts. CCSD provides public comment on bills as appropriate throughout the process as the legislation progresses,' continued the statement.
Nguyen in her presentation emphasized the bill is not a criticism of Jhone Ebert, CCSD's new superintendent, who started last month. Nguyen said she and others working on the bill are 'rooting for her success.'
This year's legislative session is scheduled to end on June 2. That leaves SB 161 a little over three weeks to pass both chambers of the Legislature and make it to the governor's desk.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Newsweek

an hour ago

• Newsweek

Marjorie Taylor Greene Criticizes Trump Over Iran: 'Not Disloyalty'

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has criticized President Donald Trump's decision to bomb Iran. On Sunday, in a lengthy post on X, formerly Twitter, about her "thoughts on bombing Iran," Greene wrote that she can "support President Trump and his great administration on many of the great things they are doing while disagreeing on bombing Iran and getting involved in a hot war that Israel started." Disagreeing with his policy is "not disloyalty," the Georgia Republican added. "Critical thinking and having my own opinions is the most American thing ever," Greene continued. "Because contrary to what brainwashed Democrat boomers say, Trump is not a king, MAGA is not a cult, and President Trump has surrounded himself with people who once disagreed with him and even ran against him for President." Newsweek has contacted a spokesperson for Greene and the White House for comment via emails sent outside regular business hours. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene presiding over a hearing of the House Oversight Subcommittee in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on February 26. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene presiding over a hearing of the House Oversight Subcommittee in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on February It Matters Trump announced on Saturday night that the U.S. struck three sites in Iran to hinder its ability to develop a nuclear weapon, inserting itself in the Israel-Iran conflict. For days prior to the U.S.'s strike, Greene—who is among the president's most devout supporters in the Make America Great Again movement—had urged against deeper American involvement, saying it would be counter to Trump's promises to keep the U.S. out of costly foreign wars. Greene has consistently defended Trump and his MAGA agenda since joining Congress in 2021, and her post on Sunday appears to be the first time she has called the president out by name. The congresswoman, who is up for reelection next year, risks Trump's wrath and may hinder her chances in the 2026 midterms. The president has already lashed out at Representative Thomas Massie after the Kentucky Republican criticized Trump's decision to bomb Iran, with Axios reporting that the president's political operation has launched an effort to unseat Massie. What To Know Greene and other high-profile Trump backers had publicly spoken out against U.S. involvement in the conflict in the days leading up to the president's announcement. After Trump announced the strikes on nuclear sites in Iran, Greene wrote on X, "Let us join together and pray for the safety of our U.S. troops and Americans in the Middle East." In a follow-up post, she fiercely criticized the decision to get involved in "another senseless foreign war." "I'm 51 years old. I'm GenX," Greene wrote. "I've watched our country go to war in foreign lands for foreign causes on behalf of foreign interests for as long as I can remember. I was in 10th grade when Desert Storm started and my father before me was sent to Vietnam, another senseless foreign war." She added: "Foreign wars have cost Americans TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS of dollars that never benefited any American. "American troops have been killed and forever torn apart physically and mentally for regime change, foreign wars, and for military industrial base profits. I'm sick of it." Greene continued: "I can easily say I support nuclear armed Israel's right to defend themselves and also say at the same time I don't want to fight or fund nuclear armed Israel's wars. Nor any other country for that matter." In the same post, she criticized "Democrats in Congress that are all of sudden clutching their pearls about Trump bombing Iran," saying they "FULLY SUPPORTED AND VOTED TO FUND Dementia ridden Biden's proxy war against Russia in Ukraine and stood by Biden's disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan." What People Are Saying Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene previously spoke with Newsweek about a poll showing that most GOP voters opposed U.S. military involvement in the conflict: "It's no surprise that a majority of Republicans oppose U.S. intervention in Israel's war with Iran. In November, voters cast their ballots to end the forever wars. I'm not surprised one bit. Americans want our government focused on solving our problems here at home, and we have many to solve." William F. Hall, an adjunct professor of political science and business at Webster University in St. Louis, recently told Newsweek: "[Greene] currently finds herself in a predicament of having to choose between, continuing to honor her past positions of being staunchly against further U.S. involvement in foreign wars … and continuing her staunch unwavering support for President Trump's policy positions, including his evolving policy with respect to potential engagements in foreign wars in the Middle East Region, including his increasing potential to involve the U.S. in the Israeli-Iran war." What Happens Next It is not clear whether the U.S. will continue attacking Iran alongside Israel. Trump has warned of additional strikes if Tehran retaliates against American forces.

Yahoo

4 hours ago

• Yahoo

Trump news at a glance: President praises attacks on Iran as lawmakers divided on US involvement

Washington was in a flurry late on Saturday as Donald Trump announced that the US had completed strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran, directly joining Israel's effort to destroy the country's nuclear program. American politicians reacted to the news of the US bombing of nuclear targets in Iran with a mix of cheering support and instant condemnation, reflecting deep divisions in the country, as Washington grapples with yet another military intervention overseas. The strikes hit uranium enrichment sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, Trump said. He warned Iran away from retaliating against US targets in the region, promising that further US strikes would be even more deadly. Here are the key stories at a glance: The US directly joined Israel's effort to destroy the country's nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe amid Tehran's threat of reprisals that could spark a wider regional conflict. The strikes hit uranium enrichment sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, Trump said. Later, Iran's atomic agency said that the country will carry on with its nuclear activities despite the US attacks on key facilities. Read the full story American politicians displayed a mixed reaction to the news of the US bombing of nuclear targets in Iran. Many democrat denounced the decision, while most Republicans praised the action. US Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat of New York, demanded of Senate majority leader and South Dakota Republican John Thune that he should immediately call a vote on the matter. Schumer said the US Congress must enforce the War Powers Act – intended as a check on the US president's power to devote the United States to armed conflict without the consent of the US Congress. Read the full story Mahmoud Khalil – the Palestinian rights activist, Columbia University graduate and legal permanent resident of the US who had been held by federal immigration authorities for more than three months – has been reunited with his wife and infant son. Read the full story The man charged in connection with the recent shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses was a doomsday 'prepper' who instructed his family to 'prepare for war' as he tried to evade capture, according to new court filings. Read the full story Thousands of Afghans who fled to the US as the Taliban grabbed power again in Afghanistan are in mortal dread of being deported back to danger in the coming weeks amid the Trump administration's anti-immigration crackdown. Read the full story Texas will require all public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments under a new law that will make the state the nation's largest to attempt to impose such a mandate. Pakistan nominated Donald Trump for Nobel peace prize, for his work in helping to resolve the recent conflict between India and Pakistan. Federal health officials are seeking to launch a 'bold, edgy' public service campaign to warn Americans of the dangers of ultra-processed foods in social media, transit ads, billboards and even text messages. And they potentially stand to profit off the results. Catching up? Here's what happened on

Yahoo

4 hours ago

• Yahoo

Rep. Jim Himes warns Iran strike could lead to ‘dead soldiers and sailors'

Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, warned on Sunday that President Donald Trump's decision to strike Iran could lead to a 'worst-case scenario' that draws the U.S. into another prolonged conflict in the Middle East. Himes, a Democrat, told host Jonathan Karl on ABC's 'This Week' the Iran strike is a 'massive, massive gamble' that could embroil the nation in an overseas conflict similar to previous U.S. military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. 'We've seen this movie before,' Himes said, referencing the ascension of the Taliban in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal in 2021 after maintaining a military presence in the country for 20 years. Himes outlined the 'worst-case scenario' as the possibility that Iran suffered minimal damage to its nuclear facilities and strikes back at U.S. military personnel leading to 'dead soldiers and sailors in the region.' On Sunday, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said the U.S. inflicted 'severe damage' on the three Iranian nuclear sites it targeted, but added it was too soon to determine whether Iran still possessed nuclear capabilities. When asked if it's possible that Trump's strike on Iran would result in a best-case scenario, Himes conceded there is 'some chance' of a positive outcome. 'But if you look at the history — and again, all we have is history to go on, if you look at the history of our military involvements in the region, they almost never end with the best-case scenario,' Himes said. 'In fact, they usually end in something approximating the worst-case scenario.' Himes also expressed concern that the strike on Iran could destabilize other nations in the region, inciting further danger to U.S. allies. He highlighted Jordan as an example, citing popular unrest in the country. 'It's not inconceivable that his people may decide, 'Hey, we've had it with you being allied with the Israelis and the United States,'' he said. 'And now we have chaos in Jordan.' Himes reiterated that it may take 'months or years' to determine whether Trump made the right decision in striking Iran, but said it would be 'crazy' to expect the best-case scenario to play out. 'Looking at history, you would be sort of crazy to put all your chips on the best outcome anytime we enter into military conflict in the Middle East,' he said.