Good article. What it doesn't mention, though, is that Sequim School District reneged on its agreement to increase TRI hours when contracts were negotiated 4 years ago. 4 years ago, the district agreed it would save and earmark money over the next 4 years so that increasing TRI hours at the next round of negotiations (the round happening now) would be a given. So the union was shocked, and understandably angry, when the school district recently announced that it had spent the money earmarked for increasing TRI hours on other things. This is to say that the teachers are angry because they are underpaid compared to the surrounding districts but ALSO because the district broke a previously-made agreement.