Sac City Unified Teachers Strike Day 6: Union Says Negotiations 'Shifted In Reverse'
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Sacramento City Unified teachers and staff are rallying as their strike reaches its sixth day.
Wednesday's rally at the Serna Center marks nearly a week since the began.
The union says negotiations "shifted into reverse" on Tuesday when the district introduced new demands for more standardized testing and a rollback in retiree benefits.
Teachers on the picket line say they are striking to support their students.
"We have 10,000 students a day that don't have a full-time teacher. In special ed, we have 140 support staff that have not been hired," said John Avery, a special education teacher at Tahoe Elementary.
The union that represents classified staff claims the district hasn't offered them any new proposals since Saturday.
The district has offered a 9.65 percent compensation increase for employees represented by the Sacramento Teachers Association. The increases would come through one-time stipends and an ongoing salary increase, the district says.
Sacramento City Unified campuses remain closed due to the strike.