Oakland teachers authorize strike after latest contract proposal

Oakland’s teachers union voted to authorize a strike on Friday, threatening to walk off the job if the district does not offer a contract with higher wages and address the high turnover plaguing its schools.

The Oakland Education Association reported that while more than 60% of its members cannot afford the average one-bedroom apartment, the school district had failed to offer fair compensation during negotiations over the past year. The union has argued that better pay would help reverse the trend of 400 educators leaving each year.

“Right now, OUSD educators are the lowest paid in the region, and as a result, the District loses nearly 400 hardworking, dedicated educators per year, costing the district $7.5 million annually,” President Kampala Taiz-Rancifer said in a news release. “This is a waste of resources, destabilizes classrooms, and especially hurts our most vulnerable students. Oakland educators have been in this fight for the schools our students deserve for a long time–and we remain committed to stabilizing our schools.”

The Oakland Unified School District employs about 3,000 people to serve its 34,000 student population. This year, the district saw its first enrollment increase in eight years.

However, the district, after decades of financial problems, faces a significant deficit.

Late last year, the district announced the need to cut $100 million from its budget. Since then, it has made significant progress in reducing its shortfall by half, but some position reductions will need to be made.

The district and union have been on opposite sides of the question of whether the proposed salary increases would be in the community’s best interest, prompting the need for mediation.

Before the issuance of an independent fact-finding report, the teachers’ union had sought a 13.5% to 14% raise over the next two years. It has revised its salary increase request to 12%-14%.

The district has argued that it cannot afford the salary demands while meeting its 3% reserve requirement. It warned that if the unions’ salary proposal were accepted, it could send the district back into receivership.

After not offering a wage increase, a recent district proposal includes 6.5%-8% increase.

“This Comprehensive Packaged Proposal is submitted in good faith as part of the statutory fact-finding process under the Educational Employment Relations Act. It reflects the District’s effort to reach a fair, sustainable, and legally compliant agreement that balances employee compensation, student needs, and long-term fiscal stability,” the district wrote in its latest proposal. “The District recognizes and values the essential contributions of its educators to the academic success, safety, and well-being of students. At the same time, the District faces ongoing structural budget challenges, enrollment volatility, and uncertainty in state funding.”

The report from the fact-finding panel recommended between 9-10% increases.

The union stated that 95% of its voting members authorized the strike on Friday.