More than 3,000 teachers and other workers in the Oakland Unified School District went on strike Thursday, saying the district failed to bargain in good faith on a new contract that asks for more resources for students and higher pay for employees.
The district's 80 schools remained open for the roughly 34,000 students, and office staff were tapped to"educate and supervise" the students, administrators said.
"Oakland's teachers are the lowest paid in the Bay Area and have not had a new contract since prior to the pandemic," the union said in a statement."Meanwhile, rising inflation and a steep rise in the cost of rent in the fast-gentrifying city is making it impossible for educators — especially new teachers at the bottom of the salary scale making $52,905 per year — to afford rent.
"I grew up in Oakland. I went to school in Oakland, I graduated from Skyline High and I'm back to teaching at Skyline High. I've seen firsthand the turnover rates among teachers," said Chris Huerta, a striking teacher at a rally Thursday outside Oakland City Hall. District Superintendent Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell said the breakdown in negotiations comes from the union expecting the district to solve societal issues that should be addressed by everyone in the community.
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