Teachers strike in Oakland to continue Monday
OAKLAND -- The Oakland Unified School District announced at 6:43 p.m. Sunday it did not reach a contract agreement with teachers and the Oakland Education Association (OEA) will continue its strike Monday.
The district said "As was the case the first two days of OEA's strike, schools will remain open but it will not be school as usual. Nutrition services will still be provided as will other needed support for students and families. We regret the continued challenges this causes for our community."
The strike involves about 3,000 teachers and other employees and affects about 35,000 students. Teachers and their supporters picketed at about 80 schools across the district Thursday and Friday.
Teachers represented by OEA are striking over wages and issues such as safety and racial justice, for which they want concessions in any contract. District officials say they are prioritizing wages in contract negotiations because they want to retain teachers.
The district said Sunday its latest salary proposal is "a nearly $70 million dollar investment in OEA members and teachers because they are the most critical part of our children's education."
The district said its proposal includes a retroactive 10 percent raise and a $5,000 one-time bonus, a minimum salary increase compared to their current salary of at least 13 percent and as much as 22 percent for every classroom teacher beginning next year.
The district also said its proposal removes "frozen zones" in the existing salary schedule, which currently mean teachers can go up to 8 years without a raise, which the district admits is a "problem has existed for decades." It also proposes shortening the time teachers take to move to the top of the pay scale, from 32 years to 20 years.
Teachers have said they want a say in how the district uses state money for community schools. They want reparations for black students.
They also want the district to address safety issues such as gun violence and asbestos and lead in the buildings addressed.
They also reportedly want more teacher preparation time in elementary schools and additional counselors at prioritized schools.