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A strike was just announced by UESF (United Educators of San Francisco), our teacher’s union’s leadership. This was the wrong call, and here’s why. We want to start out by acknowledging that SFUSD’s initial offer to teachers-–pay raises that don’t meet inflation while simultaneously asking teachers to give up prep time hours-–isn’t exactly a deal to write home about. Our teachers deserve better. We empathize with the union’s pushback when less than a fair deal was being offered. But yesterday, a neutral fact-finding panel issued its recommendations to resolve the contract dispute between SFUSD and UESF. While the two sides had previously remained apart on key issues, the report identified a clear path forward, and recommended that now is the cool-down period for final negotiations at the bargaining table. Not a strike. The fact-finding panel, led by a neutral arbiter, found that both sides have valid concerns and recommended compromise solutions that balance the needs of educators with the district’s financial constraints under state oversight. The district and union agreed to come back to the table, with a meeting set for later this afternoon. Families were starting to feel optimistic yesterday. That’s why a strike announcement this morning was so shocking and dismaying. This is not the time to escalate. This is the time to come together for our kids, our teachers, our schools, and take these recommendations seriously so we can reach an agreement. Not escalate tensions. With families anxiously waiting to know whether schools will stay open, and with our most vulnerable students—special education, homeless, foster, and those who rely on schools for meals—at risk of losing critical services, we strongly urge both sides to use this moment to de-escalate, return to the table in good faith and reach an agreement that keeps students in school. Here’s what you need to know about the fact-finding report: Fact-Finding Report The neutral fact-finding panel recommended compromise solutions including 3% annual raises (a middle ground between district’s 2% and union’s 4.5% proposals), temporary dependent health coverage via parcel tax funds, and a special education pilot program. The panel found the district’s financial constraints under state oversight are real and that the most expensive union proposals would likely be rejected by the state. The district representative on the panel signed off on the compromise recommendations, which would require increasing their original offer of 2% per year for 3 years to 3% for two years. The union partially disagreed, arguing 6% raises aren’t enough, health benefits must be permanent not temporary, and special education needs district-wide action not a small pilot. Both sides now have a clear roadmap from a neutral expert on what a fair compromise looks like. With 61% of SFUSD families surveyed telling SF Parents Coalition that school closures would be very or extremely disruptive, this is the time for SFUSD and UESF to find that common ground that we see from the report is possible. Our students, especially our most vulnerable, cannot afford to lose days of learning and critical services that schools provide. We urge both SFUSD and UESF to come together and negotiate a final agreement that provides fair compensation for educators and keeps students in school. Both Superintendent Su on behalf of SFUSD, and UESF have released new updates on the situation. You can find them here: |
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As we await news on whether SFUSD and UESF will reach an agreement or proceed toward a strike, families need concrete information about what support will be available. We’ve been in close contact with the City and the Mayor’s Office, advocating for contingency planning that addresses student needs. Now, we’re bringing City leadership directly to you so you can learn what resources they are preparing.
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