The SCTA has announced a day-long strike set for Thursday, April 11.
The strike is in response to a dispute over language in a contract previously signed by the District and the SCTA. The SCTA claims the District has violated the agreement of this contract.
Said David Fisher, the President of SCTA, in a statement to SCUSD teachers, “This is about the leaders of our district keeping their word and honoring their promises to our students. If the District simply abided by the terms of the contract and obeyed the law, there would be no reason to strike.”
The dispute lies in the District’s refusal to implement some of the agreements in the contract. Namely, a new salary schedule for teachers and savings found in teacher’s health care rolling over into student needs, more nurses, and smaller class sizes. The District has since attempted to sue the union over this language.
“If Sacramento Superintendent Aguilar is allowed to blow up a collectively bargained agreement here, there is not a contract anywhere that is safe. This is a local issue that teacher union leaders across the country are closely watching,” tweeted out one teacher within the District.
“This strike is unnecessary and will only hurt students, families, and employees by putting the district on the fast track to a state takeover…Our students do not deserve to be put through the hardships that will be caused by this strike. We will encourage SCTA leaders to work with us in the coming days to focus on saving our schools from a state takeover and finding more collaborative ways to resolve their disagreement with the District.”
Schools across the District will remain open and the District has sent out a mass call for teacher replacements.
“We’ll bring whatever help is necessary to keep our schools open because our schools — our students — depends on our schools,” said Alex Barrios, a spokesperson for the District, to KRCA News.