West Contra Costa schools brace for potential teacher, staff strikes

RICHMOND Stuck in contentious negotiations over new contracts two West Contra Costa Unified School District unions have overwhelmingly voted in favor of striking if district leadership cannot adequately meet their demands More than of members represented by the United Teachers of Richmond and Teamsters Local separately voted just now to authorize strikes That means about district employees from teachers and development specialists to maintenance and food provision workers could walk off the job if deals aren t struck in the coming months Our district demands to prioritize stability for our students now United Teachers of Richmond President Francisco Ortiz stated in a press release announcing the vote We are committed to do whatever it takes to win the fully staffed classrooms our students so desperately need Contracts for both unions expired June after negotiations on new contracts began in early Similar sticking points have led to impasses in the separate negotiation processes now requiring a third party to assist with mediation and fact-finding Once that process concludes and a final summary is issued the unions can officially legally strike Both unions are seeking better pay for their members better staffing levels and other improved working conditions The requests come at a fiscally unstable time for the district which has had to make tens of millions of dollars worth of cuts in up-to-date years to maintain local control But union members have argued the district could afford to meet union demands in part by adjusting the amount spent on contracted services Teamsters are the backbone of the West Contra Costa Unified School District and should be treated as such reported Peter Finn secretary-treasurer of Local in a message Workers know the essential services they provide to students and their families throughout the region and won t settle for less than they deserve Striking is invariably a last resort but the school district has left us little to no choice Representatives with the district office and Board of Trustees President Leslie Reckler did not respond to requests for comment as of press time Friday But district leadership have taken clear initiatives in preparation for prospective strikes During a special meeting Monday trustees voted - to pay substitute teachers per day if staff strike and to allow the superintendent to take legal action to stop the strike if the board is unable to meet within hours to vote in favor of that action itself Superintendent Cheryl Cotton who inquired that pay be set at commented the increased rates were necessary to protect the constitutional rights of students to access a safe and educational setting by enticing people to cross the picket line We are working to avoid a strike as best as we can but in the event of a strike this is action that the board would need to consider Cotton stated These are paying for people who are going to have to cross the picket line that are going to be yelled at be insulted It s I wouldn t say hazard pay but it is a challenging situation Substitute teachers are at the moment being offered about a day Cotton mentioned Trustee Demetrio Gonzalez Hoy the lone vote against the measure warned that tripling the daily substitute guide rate could be seen as a union busting tactic that would also encourage staff to strike longer My per diem as a mentor was If I was making that currently and I saw you were paying subs I would be on the strike line as long as it took for the district to pay me what I need It s going to be an insult for a lot of them explained Hoy who instead proposed raising the rate to in circumstance of a strike Offering increased pay to substitute teachers during a strike is routine practice Cotton declared noting the Oakland Unified School District offered to substitute teachers when its teachers union went on strike last year Regardless of what efforts district leadership takes Cotton disclosed the unions will likely see those measures as something that is not in favor of their goals While caring for staff demands is crucial Trustee Jamela Smith-Folds also argued the board s first priority is the students But members of both unions argue their causes aimed at attracting and maintaining quality staff through competitive pay and manageable workloads are about creating the best surroundings achievable for students Instead of offering astronomical substitute rates or spending on expensive outside contractors our district should be prioritizing our students and classrooms Ortiz mentioned We don t want to strike but West Contra Costa teachers are making it clear that we are more than willing to do everything we can for our group