Home / Education / San Francisco Teachers Vote on Strike After Contract Stalemate
San Francisco Teachers Vote on Strike After Contract Stalemate
27 Jan
Summary
- Teachers demand higher wages and stable health insurance benefits.
- Union cites critical shortages of special education teachers.
- A strike would be the first for SF educators in nearly 50 years.
United Educators of San Francisco (UESF) members are casting their final votes to authorize a strike, a move that could halt classes for the city's public schools for the first time in nearly five decades. The union, representing over 6,000 educators, has been in negotiations with the school district since March, demanding improved wages, consistent health insurance, and increased support for special education teachers.
The district's latest offer, proposed in January, included a three-year plan for fully funded family health benefits, a 6% salary increase over three years, and provisions to address special education staffing shortages. However, the union rejected this proposal, with leaders stating the district has not significantly altered its position. Educators express frustration over ongoing staffing instability, particularly in special education classrooms.
San Francisco Unified School District officials acknowledge that upcoming budget cuts present challenges to reaching a financially sustainable agreement. They remain committed to good-faith negotiations to support educators while ensuring the district's long-term fiscal responsibility. A parent shared her concern about her son, who has a learning disability, being transferred out of the district due to insufficient special needs teacher services.
