PUEBLO – The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment has decided not to intervene in an impasse between teachers and Pueblo City Schools, paving the way for a possible strike.

Department officials announced Wednesday that unless requested by both sides, they rarely intervene in disputes between public employers and employees arising from the collective bargaining process.

Teachers voted 471-24 in favor of a strike in an election in April. The vote came about a week after the school board narrowly rejected a fact-finder’s recommendation that teachers and para-professionals should get cost-of-living raises and that the district should pay more of their health insurance premiums.

Paraprofessionals also voted to strike.

The district has about 16,000 students in 30 schools.