The San Francisco teachers’ strike ends as the union and school district reach a tentative agreement
A San Francisco teacher strike that shut down public schools for about 50,000 students this week ended Friday as the union reached a partial settlement with the bankrupt school district, which will provide pay raises and improved health benefits.
The proposed contract between the San Francisco Unified School District and the United Educators of San Francisco includes 5% raises over two years for teachers and fully funded health care for union members and their families starting in 2027, according to the union.
“We won!” the union said in a statement shortly after 5:30 a.m. Friday.
“We know our job is not done,” the statement read. “Even though we didn’t win everything we know we deserve, this strike has made us envision our schools and classrooms as they should have enough staff so that our students can learn and succeed.”
Schools have been closed since the strike began on Monday, leaving families scrambling for childcare and food as teachers staged their first strike since 1979.
Campuses will not reopen until Wednesday. The district called Friday a “transition day” for workers, who are expected to return to their workplaces. The district said schools will remain closed Monday for Presidents’ Day and Tuesday for Lunar New Year.
“I realize this past week has been difficult,” San Francisco School Supt. Maria Su said in a statement on Friday.
He added: “I am proud of the resilience and strength of our community. This is a new beginning, and I want to celebrate our diverse community of teachers, administrators, parents and students as we come together and heal.”
The teachers are taking action despite pleas from San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and prominent lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), to keep classrooms open while contract negotiations — which begin in March 2025 — continue.
The union said it has made its time clear.
The strike by San Francisco teachers may signal an increase in labor unrest in California, where teachers in other major districts, including Los Angeles, have signaled they are ready to strike for higher wages, smaller classes and more resources.
Last year, the California Teachers Assn., the national teachers union, launched the “We Can’t Wait” campaign, urging union chapters to come together to gain leverage in labor negotiations.
Members of United Teachers in Los Angeles voted overwhelmingly last month to authorize their leadership to call a strike, increasing pressure as negotiations stall and as the Los Angeles Unified School District plans possible layoffs and budget cuts.
In San Diego, the teachers’ union voted before winter break to authorize a one-day unfair labor strike on Feb. 26 if the San Diego Unified School District does not develop special education staff.
The unions representing teachers in at least two Sacramento-area school districts — Natomas Unified School District and Twin Rivers Unified School District — also voted this month to authorize strikes.
The labor tensions come as funding for COVID aid has run out and public school enrollment in California has declined in recent years, leading to a decrease in state funding.
The San Francisco deal comes as the district faces a $102 million budget deficit and is under financial control due to a long-standing financial crisis. The district said if layoffs are needed to fill the gap, workers will be notified this spring.
San Francisco is one of the most expensive cities in the country, where the average home sells for about $1.4 million and the average monthly rent of $3,700 is twice the national average, according to Zillow.
Cassondra Curiel, the president of the teachers union, said in a statement this week that “the problem of not being able to pay for those of us who are dedicated to the next generation of San Francisco is real.”
Curiel said rising health care premiums are adding to the financial strain, driving away teachers and support staff for the district, which has hundreds of teaching vacancies.
The agreed agreement falls short of the 9% increase for teachers that the union requested.
The agreement, according to the union, includes an 8.5% wage increase over two years for low-wage workers.
The agreement includes so-called sanctuary school protections for immigrant and refugee students and restrictions on the district’s use of artificial intelligence.
