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Public schools remained closed for a second day Tuesday due to San Francisco’s first teachers strike in 47 years.
Hours of negotiations Monday at the War Memorial building failed to bring the San Francisco Unified School District and the educators union to an agreement on a contract. Teachers continued to picket at schools across the city.
The United Educators of San Francisco and the district have had nearly a year of contentious negotiations, which escalated after the release of a neutral fact-finding report that gave the union the green light to announce a strike.
On the first day of the strike, thousands of teachers, parents, and students demonstrated at sites across San Francisco. Last-minute entreaties over the weekend from Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Mayor Daniel Lurie failed to avert the walkout.
UESF President Cassondra Curiel said Monday that teachers would strike until they receive an acceptable contract, with fully funded family healthcare, better wages, and additional support for special-education students.
“It has taken over 10 months of sounding this alarm, asking nicely, and hearing unfulfilled promises to get to this point,” Curiel said. “We will continue to stand together until we win the schools our students deserve and the contracts our members deserve at every single school site — until we close this deal.”
Latest district offer
Negotiations stretched into Monday evening as the district presented its latest offer to the union, according to bargaining documents seen by The Standard.
In its latest counteroffer, the district increased the proposed raise to 10% over two years for paraprofessionals, aides, and other classified employees while holding steady on a 6% raise over two years for teachers. The union has demanded a 14% raise for teachers.
The district also proposed expanding the Stay Over Program, which provides emergency shelter to SFUSD families, if the city continues to provide funding.
The SFUSD and the union had previously reached agreements on sanctuary protections for immigrants and AI policy.
Free Exploratorium day
The waterfront science museum at Pier 15 has free daytime admission for SFUSD students Tuesday through Friday during the strike. Student ID must be shown.
Accompanying adults get $5 off the admission price.
Oakland teachers start strike vote
The Oakland Education Association union began a strike authorization vote Monday. Voting closes Feb. 20.
If the measure passes, it will give the union the ability to call a strike as soon as Feb. 23, according to an email sent to parents.
Oakland teachers last went on strike for about a week in May 2023.
The Oakland teachers and the Oakland Unified School District are in the midst of a contract dispute over funding cuts, pay, class sizes, and district financial transparency.
The California Teachers Association has launched a statewide campaign called “We Can’t Wait,” which aligns teachers unions across California around shared demands in contract negotiations with school districts.