SF public schools brace for historic teacher strike
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
San Francisco educators have been calling for fully staffed schools and pay raises for years. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images
San Francisco public school teachers have overwhelmingly authorized a strike that could begin as soon as Wednesday — the first teachers strike since 1979.
Why it matters: A strike could shut down classrooms and disrupt families citywide.
Driving the news: Nearly 98% of the roughly 5,200 members of the United Educators of San Francisco (UESF) who voted approved a strike over the weekend. The move comes after months of stalled contract talks with the San Francisco Unified School District.
- Negotiations have broken down over disagreements on wages, health care benefits, staffing levels due to shortages and protections for immigrant students, UESF president Cassondra Curiel told Axios.
- The union represents teachers and other school staff.
- "Educators are frustrated," she said. "Living and working in San Francisco is very demanding in our jobs and also requires a lot of resources."
Yes, but: A strike cannot legally begin until an independent fact finding report is released — expected Wednesday — after which union leaders can set a date.
State of play: The union contends the school district has failed to offer raises that keep pace with the city's high cost of living and has not fully covered family health care costs. Educators have been bargaining over a two-year contract for nearly a year and operating under an expired deal from the summer, Curiel said.
- District officials counter that declining enrollment and budget constraints limit how much they can provide.
- Superintendent Maria Su has said the district hopes to avoid a strike, but warned that schools would not be able to operate normally if one occurs.
The big picture: While the school district is governed independently, a strike could increase pressure on Mayor Daniel Lurie and City Hall to help broker a deal or manage fallout.
What they're saying: "There's a massive disconnect between the management of our district and the running of our schools," Curiel told Axios. "Educators are the backbone of our schools and we work closely with parents to manage what's necessary."
Between the lines: Families are bracing for closure-related disruptions, with parents who have fixed work schedules, limited access to child care and children with special education needs facing the greatest hardship, Steven Ngo, a board member of the parent-led advocacy group San Francisco Parent Coalition, told Axios.
- A prolonged strike could also disrupt counseling services and meal programs and deepen learning challenges for students affected by pandemic-related instability.
- "We want our teachers to be paid more and we hope that the math can work out," he said. "We just hope that the union leadership and district can get this problem solved together."
What's next: The Board of Education will hold a special meeting Tuesday on labor negotiations and vote on a resolution to give the superintendent authority to make operational decisions if a strike occurs.