Nonetheless deadlocked on negotiations associated to pay and proposed “frequent good” measures, the Oakland Training Affiliation ready to enter its second week on the picket strains, and deliberate to rally exterior a now-canceled board assembly as its open-ended strike in opposition to the Oakland Unified College District heated up Wednesday.
Regardless of earlier indications that the 2 sides have been near an settlement on compensation, on Wednesday lecturers alleged they got deceptive info by the district — and that solely 44% of union members would obtain the hoped-for 22% wage bump.
“We will’t afford to remain on this district if we don’t get an actual, vital elevate,” mentioned Katie Tsuji, a third-grade instructor at Thornhill Elementary College, who walked the picket line exterior the college Wednesday morning.
The lecturers have been on strike since final Thursday, marking one full week since college students have been in common lessons and with the college 12 months winding to a detailed on Might 25. There’s nonetheless no official phrase on how the strike might have an effect on the final two weeks, together with occasions like testing and commencement ceremonies, or whether or not the semester can be prolonged.
Whereas the district has nonetheless offered childcare on the colleges with its non-mandatory modified college days supervised by college workplace workers, some mother and father have opted for alternate means of kid supervision, like dropping their youngsters off at Diamond Park to be watched by excessive schoolers.
“We’re prepared to be out right here till there’s a tentative settlement between each events,” mentioned Maureen Whalen, a second-grade instructor at Thornhill Elementary. “That is the fourth bargaining cycle in my academic profession in Oakland, and historical past retains repeating itself. I don’t really feel we’re taken critically till we’re pushed to one thing like this.”
Early Wednesday the union introduced plans to carry its every day massive rally at 4 p.m., exterior of the repeatedly scheduled college board assembly at La Escuelita Elementary.
The college district later canceled the board assembly, saying in a press release that it “couldn't guarantee a quorum of Board Administrators or that the assembly would occur with out disruption.” However the union mentioned the rally would go on as deliberate.
The board’s agenda had included an replace from Board President Mike Hutchinson, who has publicly denounced the union’s frequent good proposals, and a convention with labor negotiators.
The six-member college board is cut up on whether or not to barter the union’s frequent good proposals, that are designed to enhance the working and studying circumstances of workers and college students. Amongst different issues, they embrace shared decision-making at group college websites, a response to security considerations starting from gun violence to rat infestations, the repurposing of unused college buildings to deal with homeless college students, and motion towards the “Black thriving group colleges” program.
“The frequent good (proposals) are for the frequent good,” Whalen mentioned. “We’ve had no telephones, no PA system, and no working clocks for over a month. It’s a security situation.”
Academics, mother and father, college students and different college workers started picketing as soon as once more exterior varied Oakland Unified colleges at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. At Thornhill, lecturers, mother and father, college students and different college workers gathered on the facet of the street exterior the college, the place they have been cheered on by honking vehicles and college students dropping off baked items.
Rebeca Lar, the mom of a primary and fourth grader on the college, mentioned she was there not simply to assist an increase in lecturers’ salaries, however to demand higher responses from the district associated to elevated security, amenities and assets.
“Now we have one of many nicer campuses (throughout the college district), and that’s as a result of the PTA raises over $300,000 a 12 months to complement. Even with that more money, I nonetheless see the cracks,” she mentioned. “The PTA finally ends up paying for actually fundamental assets that the remainder of us grew up with.”
Be taught extra: Our Widespread Good proposals replicate member survey priorities & OUSD father or mother/group enter. Many CA districts, like LA, Natomas, Montebello, San Diego, West Contra Costa, & Jurupa, have bargained frequent good calls for. #Unite4OaklandStudentspic.twitter.com/H1oYN3Lx3G
— Oakland Training Affiliation (@OaklandEA) Might 8, 2023