scta – The Prospector

What Happened to the Strike?

Ever since October 11, 2016 the Sacramento City Teachers Association (SCTA), has been bargaining with the Sacramento City Unified School District to make the schools better for students by reducing class sizes, adding arts programs, and increasing teacher pay.

No matter how hard the SCTA tried, the district has rejected every single one of their proposals, blaming the rejection on “budget priorities”.

Fast forward to November 2, 2017, when over 3,000 teachers rallied outside the Serna Center. They chanted, help up signs, and gave speeches, all while the Superintendent was meeting with the SCUSD board members in the building right behind them.

Around 4 PM that day, it was announced that the teachers were ready to strike, if necessary, on November 8.

As most people remember, there was no strike on November 8, 2017. Why?

Well, the day before the supposed strike, November 7, 2017, a tentative agreement was reached between the SCTA and SCUSD to avert the strike, with the help of Mayor Darrell Steinberg.

The main issue addressed in the tentative agreement was teacher pay raises. Teachers will receive up to an 11% pay raise over the next 3 years, with all teachers guaranteed a 2.5% pay raise retroactive July 1 2016, another 2.5% retroactive July 2017, and another 2.5% increase July 2018. SCTA representatives say the raises will help Sac City become competitive with the Elk Grove and San Juan districts in attracting and retaining talented teachers.

Reducing class sizes in elementary schools were also addressed by the agreement. Grades 1-3 will not have more than 28 students in a class. Grades 4-6 will not have more than 33 students in a class.

“We believe this tentative agreement will help move us in the direction necessary to ensure each and every one of our students has a qualified educator in every classroom, resources they need, and programs that will ensure their success,” said David Fisher, president of the SCTA.

Exactly a month later, SCTA members voted by a 98.1% majority to approve the contract agreements made between the SCTA and the SCUSD. The overall vote was 1557 yes and 30 no.

In 2020, the SCTA and the district, with the help of Mayor Steinberg, plan to craft a measure that will go on the 2020 ballot to ensure that new funds supplement existing dollars for arts, music, and sports programs.

SCUSD Teachers Intend on Striking Wednesday if Deal is Not Reached

Photo from the Union Rally at the Serna Center

Sacramento City Unified teachers have announced that they will strike on Wednesday November 8th, 2017, if an agreement isn’t reached between the SCTA (Sacramento City Teachers Association) and the Sacramento City Unified School District.

According to Larry Hopper, Secretary of the SCTA, “around 3,000” people showed up to a rally outside the Serna Center on Thursday afternoon, before the school district’s board meeting took place.

Smaller class sizes. Making arts and music available to all students. An increase of school nurses and psychologists to national standards. Those are only a few things that the SCTA has asked for.

The district has rejected these proposals through more than a year of bargaining with the SCTA. Both side blame each other publicly for the delay of an agreement.

What would a strike mean for students and parents? Should parents keep their children home from school? Will there be enough substitutes to keep the schools open?

Nikki Milevsky, mother of two and 1st vice president of the SCTA, said “I am very concerned about the safety of students in our schools during the strike. The district does not seem very prepared, and I am not sending my kids to school.”

“The vast majority of around 600 substitutes will be on strike,” said Milevsky.

“The district is recruiting anyone they can find, and they are offering $500 a day. They don’t even have to have credentials,” said SCTA president David Fisher.

Schools are not legally able to hire substitutes without the proper certification. So, in the event of a substitute shortage, students would likely be supervised by campus staff in a central area like the library or the cafeteria.