San Francisco teachers to strike as 50,000 kids could be shut out of schools

The San Francisco teachers union is planning to strike Monday — leaving more than 50,000 kids facing the possibility they’ll be shut out of schools due to the walkout, reports said.

Some 97.6% of the United Educators of San Francisco voted in favor of the work stoppage after union members scoffed at the school’s latest contract offer, likely sending union members to the picket line for the first time in 47 years, ABC 7 News reported.

The last strike in 1979 left kids without most of their teachers for seven weeks.

The San Francisco Unified School District’s latest contract offer included raises of 2%-a-year over the next three years despite facing a budget shortfall of $100 million next year, a spokesperson told ABC.

“What we have offered a 6% pay increase over the next three years, so 2% each year for all our labor partners and UESF as well as fully funded family healthcare which was a priority we heard from the union, so we want to be able to work with them,” spokesperson Laura Dudnick said.

“Any offer that we make we need to be able to afford for the next three years. We have set aside some money in our reserve for one-time emergency uses that are approved by the board of education for those purposes, so we cannot use our reserves to fund ongoing expenses like salaries.”

The state government had stepped in to appoint the third-party mediator but the influential union head said the mediator’s report “did not go far enough.”

“The recommendations here alone will not solve the stability crisis in our district,” union President Cassondra Curiel told ABC. “But, we are happy to see validation of what we already know- that SFUSD can and must stabilize staffing and special education programs for our students.”

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said he’s speaking to both sides with hopes to keep the schools open for city kids.

“I know many of you are worried about the possibility of a teacher strike that could temporarily close schools—and I want you to hear this clearly from me: our kids come first,” he said.  

“As mayor, even though I don’t oversee our school district, I’m deeply committed to making sure our kids get a world-class education—with safe public schools where kids can learn and educators are well supported,” Lurie continued. “It is crucial that our schools remain open. Every day in the classroom matters.”