2018 Arizona teachers' strike

Teachers began holding "walk-ins" the week of April 9th, during which they protested in favor of increased funding while on school campuses, and discussed the reasons for the protests with parents and interested parties.[5][6] Teachers also wore red to school to indicate solidarity.[7] These protests were organized by Arizona Educators United, and were planned in part on social media.

Arizona lawmakers originally offered teachers a 1 percent raise in 2018, with an additional 1 percent raise in 2019. Doug Ducey, the Arizona governor, further indicated that demands for a 20 percent raise were unlikely to be satisfied, and that there would be no increase in taxes to increase education spending.[6]

Contradicting his earlier statements, Ducey announced on April 13th that there would be a 20 percent raise for teachers in the form of a 10 percent raise in 2019 and a 10 percent raise in 2020, and that $1 billion in funding cut over the past decade would be restored. When announced, Ducey did not discuss how the increases would be funded.[8] The announcement was met with skepticism from labor organizers.[8]

Teachers voted on April 19 to begin a walkout on April 26. Of the 57,000 individuals who voted, 78 percent were in favor of a walkout. The decision to walk out was in part precipitated by an unstable plan to fund governor Ducey's proposal from earlier in April, which would have created a $265 million deficit after its rollout.[2] During the walkout, teachers organized various events, both to discuss their motivations with the public and to guarantee students reliant on subsidized meals still received food.[11]

On May 1st, teachers agreed to end the walkout if Arizona lawmakers passed a new budget with both raises and increased spending on schools.[11] The strike officially ended after the budget was passed on May 3rd.[12]