United Educators of San Francisco President Cassondra Curiel was beaming Friday \u2014 not because it was 70 degrees in February, but because her union\u2019s new contract had officially been ratified by 92% of teachers.<\/p>\n
Following a four-day strike earlier this month, Curiel\u2019s 6,000-member union received its chief demand <\/a>from San Francisco Unified School District: fully funded healthcare for dependents. It was enough, the union leader said, for some of her members to start planning on conceiving children.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s inspiring conversations amongst members who have been holding off or uncertain financially,\u201d Curiel said. \u201cThat\u2019s really a great thing for San Francisco, because it\u2019s not just techies who live here.\u201d<\/p>\n But the ripple effects of the strike carry on. SFUSD has said the terms of its new contract, which include raises of between 5% and 8.5% over the next two years, will cost $183 million (opens in new tab)<\/a> through the 2027-28 school year. The district is now planning to issue preliminary lay-off notices<\/a> for 42 positions, including instructional aides and art teachers.<\/p>\n Curiel is well aware of the leverage the union now holds. And that power is reflected in the decrease in layoffs the district claims it needs, despite the increase in expenditures. Last December, it proposed issuing 200 pink slips, five times its current proposal.<\/p>\n Curiel says district leadership understands they find themselves \u201cin a situation where they are held accountable.\u201d<\/p>\n