The largest school district in the Bay Area will be closed Monday, as contract negotiations between teachers and the San Francisco Unified School District continue.
Leaders on both sides say meaningful progress was made this weekend, but there is no tentative agreement.
Now Mayor Daniel Lurie and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi are calling on the Teachers Union to agree to a cooling off period.
After a weekend of negotiations: no deal. The president of the United Educators of San Francsico, Cassondra Curiel, says they’re holding to their word to go on strike Monday.
“The mayor asked has asked us to wait for 72 hours and what we’ve said time and time again making it very clear to everyone, that we are going on strike absent a signed tentative agreement with the district,” Curiel said.
At issue: better pay, and the cost of health insurance.
The district says their negotiators are willing to sit down with union negotiators at any point to come to an agreement.
“We need to finish this conversation so that our students can stay in the classroom where they belong. Mayor Lurie has called on both sides to commit to three more days of negotiation if we can’t meet an agreement today. I agree with our mayor,” Superintendent Maria Su said.
Until that happens, 50,000 students will not be in school.
The district has prepared virtual learning packets for students to download and will distribute meals for kids at about 30 sites across the city.
The next scheduled negotiating session is Monday at noon.