San Francisco teachers strike ends as tentative deal reached with district | San Francisco
Teachers in San Francisco, whose first strike in decades over wages and family health benefits, have reached a tentative agreement with the school district.
The San Francisco unified school district (SFUSD) announced Friday that schools will reopen to staff immediately and to students on Wednesday., after two holidays.
SFUSD chief Dr. “I know the past week has been tough,” Maria Su said. expression. “Thank you to SFUSD staff, community-based partners, and faith and civic leaders who partner with us to continue to focus our students on our work every day.
“I am proud of the resilience and strength of our community. This is a new beginning, and I want to celebrate the coming together and healing of our diverse community of educators, administrators, parents, and students.”
The strike involving about 6,000 public school teachers began Monday, the first such strike in the city in nearly 50 years.
SFUSD closed all 120 of its schools and announced it would offer independent education to some of its 50,000 students. The decision left thousands of parents struggling to find last-minute child care.
After last-ditch negotiations failed to reach a new contract, teachers joined the picket lines. They were demanding higher wages, more health benefits and more resources for students with special needs.
“By pushing SFUSD to invest in fully funded family health services, special education caseloads, improved wages, and housing and housing protections for San Francisco families, we have made significant progress toward the schools our students deserve,” Cassondra Curiel, president of United Educators of San Francisco (UESF), said in a statement following the end of the strike. “This agreement provides a strong foundation for us to continue creating the safe and stable learning environments our students deserve.”
The union and district had been negotiating for nearly a year with teachers demanding fully funded family health care, pay raises and special education, and filling vacancies affecting services.
The union demanded a 9% raise over two years; This meant an additional $92 million annually for the region. They say the money could come from reserve funds that could be directed to classrooms and school sites.
SFUSD, facing a $100 million deficit and under state oversight due to a long-running financial crisis, rejected the idea. The authorities responded with a 6% wage increase paid over three years. The proposal also includes bonuses for all employees in the event of a redundancy by the 2027-28 school year, district superintendent Maria Su said.
A report released last week by a nonpartisan review panel recommended compromising a 6% increase over two years, largely backing claims that the district is financially constrained.
San Francisco teachers receive the lowest contribution to healthcare costs in California’s Bay Area, forcing many to leave, the union said. Su said the district offered two options: The district would pay 75 percent of family health insurance to insurance provider Kaiser, or offer teachers a $24,000 annual stipend to choose their own health plan.
Before agreeing on raises and health care, the union and district agreed on terms related to artificial intelligence and increased protections for immigrant students.
The average teacher salary in the city is $103,472, excluding benefits. San Francisco Chronicle. Considering recent raises, this salary is 30% higher than five years ago. The lower end of the pay scale is $70,000 and the upper end is approximately $131,700, depending on years of experience and education level.
Associated Press contributed reporting
