Will Anchorage public school teachers union authorize a strike?

The Anchorage Education Association edged closer to a possible strike as contract talks with the Anchorage School District remain stalled, and both sides prepare to make their case before an arbitrator at the end of January.

In a message to members on social media, the union threatened to hold a vote on authorizing a strike if the negotiations do not resolve key issues over salary, benefits, and working conditions.

The union, which represents over 2,800 teachers, and the district are not legally required to accept whatever recommendation the arbitrator eventually issues, but the process is a formal step toward potential actions by either side.

The union is preparing for the possibility of a strike vote and indicated that members are considering mid- to late January for in-person voting.

For those planning late winter vacations with the kids, a strike can’t legally occur until Feb. 11, the date marking 90 days after the parties agreed on an arbitrator. Under Alaska law, neither side can take unilateral action until that waiting period expires. That timeline now looms over the second semester for Anchorage families, as the union signals that it is ready to escalate if no agreement is reached.

The union has also distributed a detailed FAQ sheet to teachers explaining how a strike would work, what would be expected of participants, and how workdays would be handled. According to the document, teachers would keep their health insurance during a strike and would not lose pay, but the missed instructional days would likely be added to the end of the school year so that students could receive the legally required 170 days of classroom time. That would extend the school year past the scheduled May 22 end date, and teachers with summer travel plans were warned that make-up days would be mandatory.

All teachers in the bargaining unit, including non-members, would be eligible to vote on a strike. Anyone who does not vote is automatically counted as a “no.” The union says the vote will be conducted in person. Ending a strike would require either a tentative agreement with the district or a decision by the union’s board of directors.

If a strike is called, the union says every single teacher will be expected to picket each day unless assigned another duty. AEA is now recruiting picket captains, organizing training sessions, and coordinating with other labor groups. Teachers would not be allowed to take other jobs during a strike because they would still be under contract with the district.

The union also warns that while individuals cannot be singled out for discipline, the district could theoretically terminate all teachers if it chose to do so. Past strikes have sometimes prompted teachers to remove personal belongings from their classrooms.

Parents and students are likely to hear more about the situation in the coming weeks. The union says it has begun a more public-facing campaign and is working with NEA-Alaska, Great Alaska Schools, PTSA groups, and other allied labor organizations to message the potential for a walkout. The union says it is also exploring options for child-care support should a strike occur.