As expected, an overwhelming majority of San Francisco public-school teachers have voted to authorize a walkout, which would be the first teachers’ strike in this city since the late 1970s.
A full 97.6 percent of the 5,202 United Educators San Francisco members who took part voted “yes,” the teacher’s union announced on Saturday morning. That percentage is in line with the 99.34 percent of teachers who voted to authorize a strike in December’s preliminary vote.
Under state law, a strike is not authorized until the completion of an independent “fact-finding” process. The non-binding report from that process is expected to be delivered on or about Wednesday, Feb. 4, meaning teachers could walk off the job shortly thereafter.
If and when the teachers announce a strike date, Mission Local has learned that principals and administrators will hold an emergency meeting to vote on whether to hold a sympathy strike. In the event such a vote comes to pass, it is all but certain that the principals and administrators will vote for solidarity with the teachers.
“We are committed to negotiating in good faith with our teachers’ union, and remain hopeful that we can reach an agreement,” the district said in a statement. “Avoiding a strike and minimizing disruption for students remains our priority.”
Union officers and front-line teachers said the sides remain far apart on pay raises, healthcare for dependents, and various proposals for students, including “sanctuary” policies. They expressed a willingness to strike befitting the gaudy vote numbers.
“They’re sitting on hundreds of millions of reserves,” said teachers union president Cassondra Curiel.
The district has moved to shave more than $100 million off the budget, pointing to declining enrollment and shortfalls. The union, however, has accused the district of failing to spend allocated dollars for years, leading to revenue surpluses in years where it claimed shortfalls.
Mary Lavalais, a paraeducator at San Francisco Community School in the Excelsior, said she voted “yes” on the strike due to the district’s rejection of the union’s proposals.
“They have a lot of money, rainy-day-fund money. It’s storming, and they need to use it,” she told Mission Local earlier this week. “If you have money and you’re firing people, getting rid of paraeducators who are delivering direct services to the children, that’s very immoral.”
District observers have questioned SFUSD’s negotiation strategy, accusing the district of passivity. The precondition imposed by the district that every benefit awarded to the teacher’s union must be countered with a concession was seen as a non-starter, and a virtual guarantee that negotiations would fail and a strike would ensue.
In the event a walkout ensues, district personnel bemoaned that all the leverage would sit with the union, not the district.
The state mandates that districts must offer 180 days of instruction per school year. With teachers poised to strike and principals and administrators likely to follow, such instruction would have to come at the end of any potential work stoppage. In the event of a lengthy stoppage, this would eat into summer break.
Please let it be known that UESF is not just made up of teachers. It also includes our dedicated certificated staff as well.
If anyone wants to give Catholic school a try there is one in the Outer Richmond. Plenty of room in the lower grades. Forgot the name but former co-worker had kids there. Said lower grade teachers were great…only one caveat….disciplinary problems will not be tolerated.
Is it possible that year after year during budget proposal time the district cries wolf and claims to have no money and the media hypes up that claim? Wondering how and why the district could be sitting on a surplus of money when we have been hearing for the last 5 years how broke they are? $400 million surplus doesn’t equal broke in my book, but I’m no tech bro.
Give the teachers what they want they earned it and deserve it.
Joe,
Thanks so much for including the report Underestimating SFUSD’s School in this article. According to this report, SFUSD has been operating on millions of dollars in surplus despite the narrative that we’re in a deficit and need to make cuts. The notion that SFUSD is in a doom loop is false and we need to stop repeating it. There are enough funds to increase wages, reduce class sizes and cover dependents health care. There are enough funds in this city to retain the educators needed to provide a quality education for each and every child in our city.
Thanks for covering this,
Allison
Allison, almost every local political figure admits that SFUSD is in a financial crisis.
And almost every local media source, including this one, has reported abut the financial woes of SFUSD.
So where exactly are these alleged idle millions that you claim are just sitting around looking for a good home?
Hey Tom,
Read the report in the link below. It has sources on slide #9. https://www.canva.com/design/DAG_Gtp6bl4/h_P_CGVUPOWzBzG6RdpPdw/view#1
That is not an official source at all. It is a self-serving “study” by a group of individuals who are clearly biased.
At a time when schools may have to close and teachers may need to be laid off, making unfunded salary increases will simply increase the necessary closures and job cuts.
Thanks for reporting
For far too long educators have been underpaid .
Unless someone gets an education and learns they will stunt their growth and harm themselves.
SF and California should make education a priority .
Too many kids today who skip school and cannot get their act together .
Support teachers and also get going on a plan to help and demand kids go to school
Where are the parents? Tired of seeing youth hanging out and not getting their act together .
They end up wasting their life .
SF should spend more on education and less on housing addicts in hotels for 6k a month . These persons need to go find a job rather then hanging out all day taking drugs
The game is getting old