Hundreds of teachers in Oakland walked out and skipped classes Friday over contract negotiations with the school district.
The Oakland Unified School District said schools remained open Friday, but they might have looked a little different with the one-day work stoppage. There were more than 2,300 teachers in the district, and about 400 of them from at least 15 schools were expected to participate in the walkout, according to the teacher's union.
The group gathered outside Oakland City Hall with middle and high school teachers and their supporters.
The teachers are upset over contract negotiations with the district that have been ongoing since October. They accuse OUSD of bargaining in bad faith by canceling meetings and failing to address the union's proposals.
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"This is part of our fight to get the district to bargain with us fairly," said Skyline High School teacher Harley Poston.
Earlier this week, the district announced a proposed revised salary schedule that will allow teachers to reach maximum pay in 19 years instead of 32. Coupled with a proposed 3.5% to 4.5% salary increase, the district says it would effectively give teachers a pay raise of anywhere between 8% and 11%.
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The teachers, however, are asking for a 22.97% pay increase to compensate for inflation and bring them up to the pay level of their counterparts in other school districts.
Poston said that there's a big gap between what teachers have proposed and the district is offering. Others told NBC Bay Area that they're deeply concerned about class size, possible school closures and mergers.
Oakland resident Vanessa Brooks, who is a grandmother, came to the rally.
"Me as a grandparent, and having kids that came up through Oakland schools. I support the fact that we gotta support our teachers, they’re there supporting our students," she said.
Oakland Unified released a statement early Friday on its website, saying in part: "We know that there is more work to do at the table, but this change alone will have lasting impacts on the recruitment and retention of teachers in OUSD."
The district says the teachers' union proposal to add more teachers and staff would cost more than $250 million annually, about half of the district's annual budget.
Rallies were held at the following schools between 7:30 and 10 a.m. Friday, according to the teachers' union:
- Oakland High
- Oakland Tech
- Oakland International
- Rusdale
- Skyline
- Fremont
- Roosevelt
- Frick
- Life Academy
- USSA
- MPA
