The Sacramento City Teachers Association and SEIU 1021, two unions representing educators in the Sacramento Unified School District, have officially gone on strike Wed., March 23 following negotiations with the district yesterday.
The District previously announced that it would shut all of its schools down in the event of the strike until an agreement is made. Here’s how we got here, what each side is saying + what’s at stake.
✏️ How we got here
The disagreement comes down to two separate contract issues.
1️⃣ The teachers’ current contract, which technically expired in June of 2019 + has been on hold since the pandemic interrupted the bargaining stage two years ago.
2️⃣ A different contract that asks for pay incentives for increased workloads brought on by the pandemic, and a higher standard of health protocols.
In December, the district put a stop to negotiating the second contract, which prompted a fact-finder from the state to get involved.
🗣️ What each side is saying
The unions
- There are severe staffing shortages, causing 10,000 students to go without a regular teacher every day
- There are proposed cuts to salaries despite the “largest unrestricted reserve fund in SCUSD history”
- Are in unanimous support of the fact-finder’s report, while the district is not
- Are committed to meet every day for negotiations
The district
- Can’t offer incentives until contract agreements are accepted
- Operation limitations are the reason for schools shutting down, with substitute teachers a non-option
- Is committed to finding solutions for its students + staff
🍎 What’s at stake
The around 40,000 students in the Sacramento are without a teacher until agreements are met between the unions + the district.
Union leaders have announced that they intend to strike Wed., March 23-Fri.,March 25, with the possibility of extending into the following week.
To see the status of the negotiations + if your child’s school is shut down, check the SCUSD website.
Resources for parents can be found here.
