UESF: SF Educators Overwhelmingly Vote to Approve a Strike

The following is taken from the latest email update from Dennis Kelly to the teachers:

SF Educators Overwhelmingly Vote to Approve a Strike

87% yes vote sends clear message to the district

Last night 2520 San Francisco teachers and paraprofessionals voted overwhelmingly to authorize the Executive Board of UESF to call a strike. Twenty-seven years earlier, San Francisco's 1979 strike was ended with a vote in the same Kezar Pavilion where UESF members gathered yesterday.

The large turnout and strong vote reflects the deep frustration that educators feel over not having a contract for nearly two years. Despite our repeated attempts to settle the contract in a timely fashion, district negotiators have made it clear that they would rather see negotiations continue into the 2006-2007 school year.

We cannot let that happen.

San Francisco educators have allowed more than enough time for the negotiations to work. Negotiations have now dragged on for 15 months, with little progress on key issues.

After nearly four years without a raise, pay is obviously a sticking point, but school health and safety issues, including guarantees of first aid kits in every classroom, and schools free of rodents and pests, are also key issues.

Equity for paraprofessionals is also a fundamental concern for our union. As a group, paraprofessionals do not have the same rights as other employees in the district and in the city. They are denied basic due-process rights afforded other city workers. At least 77 career paraprofessionals are currently denied health care upon retirement.

San Francisco children deserve safer schools and educators who are respected and fairly compensated. They do not deserve another school year with tense negotiations hanging over their heads.

State mediation sessions have been scheduled for April 4 and April 10. As a union, we are committed to letting the process work. We will do everything we can to settle the contract without going on strike.

I am proud of all our members who braved the rain and made it to Kezar Pavilion last night. As a group we have taken a principled stand for our profession, and for San Francisco public schools.

The strike authorization vote was also covered in the SF Chronicle here: Teachers vote to strike -- 2,203 to 317 in favor of walkout. The SJ Merc ran this story: San Francisco teachers authorize a strike