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Denver teacher strike begins with demonstrations and a rally Monday

Posted at 7:04 AM, Feb 11, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-11 09:04:33-05
Denver teacher strike
File – Margaret Flynn, front, a 7th-grade teacher in Denver Public Schools, leads other teachers in a march during a rally outside the state Capitol late Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

DENVER – Denver teachers will strike for the first time in decades Monday after negotiations with the district over improved pay fell through on Saturday.

Teachers will picket starting at 7 a.m. at Denver East High School. There will then be a second rally at the State Capitol building at 2 p.m. Monday.

Denver Public Schools said nearly all schools will remain open and on a normal schedule while the strike occurs. Classes at the district’s early childhood education centers are canceled due to staff shortages, but all other classes will operate on a normal schedule.

The strike stems from more than a year of failed negotiations over the district’s salary schedule. The Denver Classroom Teacher’s Association (DCTA) said that the district’s proposal did not increase base pay enough to satisfy teachers in Colorado’s largest school district.

“We will strike Monday for our students and for our profession, and perhaps then DPS will get the message and return to the bargaining table with a serious proposal aimed at solving the teacher turnover crisis in Denver,” Henry Roman, president of the DCTA said in a statement.

Meanwhile, schools Superintendent Susana Cordova said she was “extremely disappointed” that the union walked away from the table after six hours of negotiations on Saturday instead of continuing to work toward an agreement.

The DCTA indicated it will not resume negotiations until Tuesday.

(The Associated Press contributed to this story)