Oakland teachers threaten strike if no contract reached by Thursday

Oakland, California, teachers announced they will go on strike if a deal isn’t reached with the school district by Thursday.

Teachers made their announcement Monday. They have been working without a contract since October.

With less than a month left before the end of the school year, the pressure is on for the two sides to reach an agreement. Each school that would be affected by a walkout has already received strike packages, according to the union.

In response to the announcement, Oakland Unified School District said it intends to continue negotiations for as long as it takes.

“Our team has remained at the bargaining table daily since Thursday and is committed to continuing to work in good faith toward a contract that works for both sides,” the school district said in a statement. “We remain optimistic that we will collectively come to a resolution in time to prevent the teachers from hitting the picket lines and keeping our kids in school.”

The union is asking for a 23% universal pay raise, but the school district has offered “structured salary increases” instead. This would mean that only the most senior and tenured employees would receive a significant raise, while other workers would receive a smaller one.

While many parents in the district understand and appreciate the teachers’ struggle, some want them to stay in the classroom. Several parents signed a petition asking teachers to forego a strike, fearing it could set their children behind.