Oakland teachers union expected to announce Saturday if its 3,000 members will go on strike.
Leaders to decide Saturday whether to set strike date
The Oakland teachers union is expected to announce Saturday whether its 3,000 members will go on strike, possibly as early as Tuesday.
Negotiations between the Oakland Education Association and Oakland Unified School District have intensified in recent weeks, culminating Friday with the expected release of a fact-finding report, compiled by a neutral party, with recommendations for a compromise.
Union leaders said they would review the report Friday evening and teachers would discuss their response to it, which could include a strike, on Saturday. Members do not want to delay the decision and wait for the district to make another offer based on the recommendations, said Chaz Garcia, the union’s second vice president.
“We’re not going to wait for the district because we’ve been waiting and they haven’t been bringing anything,” Garcia said. “We’re going to make our decision based on the fact-finding report and what we feel is best for our students and teachers.”
The city already is bracing for a strike. Oakland Parks, Recreation and Youth Development will open more than a dozen recreation centers in the city during school hours in case teachers walk out. Anthony Jenkins, the pastor of Taylor Memorial United Methodist Church, said he would open his church to kids during the day.
If educators go on strike, the district’s schools will remain open with substitutes and some administrators stepping in to supervise. There are about 37,000 students in the district.
School district officials said they expect the fact-finding report to reignite conversations and get the two sides past a stalemate.
“We are certainly hopeful that this allows us a jumping-off point for a new round of discussions with our union,” said John Sasaki, the school district’s spokesman.
District officials repeatedly have emphasized their desire to avoid a strike, which would leave thousands of students without teachers until a new deal is reached. The district’s current offer is a 5 percent raise over a few years; teachers are asking for a 12 percent raise.
In January, a factfinding committee was formed to evaluate each side’s perspective. On Feb. 4, the union overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike.
“It’s not just about the money. We want to see support for students,” Garcia said. “We won’t take 12 percent, even if they offer it, with no support for students.”
Oakland schools Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell has said that she agrees with the teachers’ demands for smaller class sizes and more school counselors and nurses. However, the district is also grappling with a massive budget deficit and could slash nearly $22 million next year.