New Haven Teacher Strike: State Superintendent To Join Negotiations
UNION CITY (CBS SF) – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond is expected at negotiations Friday as the teacher strike in the New Haven Unified School District entered its 9th day.
Thurmond is set to appear at the bargaining table following his call Thursday to end the strike, which has impacted thousands of students in Union City and parts of Hayward since May 20th.
"Students are losing out on quality educational minutes with their teachers that they have had all year, and teachers want to be back in the classroom, but are faced with the difficult decision to stand up for themselves," the superintendent said in a statement.
The New Haven Teachers' Association is seeking a seven percent raise over the next two years, while the district is offering two percent and a one-time bonus.
"It seems that the district and the union are talking apples and oranges," said Tim Wharton, a teacher at James Logan High School. "The district is being stubborn and is unwilling to move at all. Incredible frustration at the district."
Meanwhile, students are out of school, wondering what happens if the school year ends before the strike does.
"Our finals are also next week," said Lilly Romero, a senior at Logan. "And so a lot of us are feeling like anxious and worry, like what's going to happen with you know our grades? What about finals? Are we going to do them at all?"
If a resolution is not reached by Friday, negotiations would continue into the weekend.