OAKLAND, Calif. — After a spirited four-day strike that included rallies and vigils, teachers in the West Contra Costa Unified School District, members of United Teachers of Richmond, won improved wages and health insurance and more staffing.
Teachers walked out Dec. 2, in their first strike since the district was founded 60 years ago. Teamsters Local 856 school staff members joined them for two days before reaching a separate agreement.
The teachers held nearly daily rallies of hundreds, prompting the school district management to resume negotiations. At a lively vigil outside the negotiations Dec. 9, they chanted into the night and projected photos of union supporters on the building wall.
“It was OUR COLLECTIVE POWER that forced the District back to the table and paved the way for an agreement that lays a foundation for the safe and stable schools our students deserve,” United Teachers of Richmond President Francisco Ortiz wrote in an early morning email to unionists and supporters after the agreement was reached Dec. 10. Teachers voted 92.6% to approve the contract.
They won an 8% wage increase, fully paid family health care by June 30, 2027, an increase in special education teachers’ salaries, some caps on classroom size, improved classroom heating and “district sponsored pathways to permanent residency for educators who obtain clear credentials, as well as support for newly arrived educators.” The school district, with a large percentage of immigrant students, relies on bilingual staff members to help students learn.
“Tomorrow, we will begin returning to work with our heads held high,” Ortiz wrote. “Educators may return to school with pay tomorrow to retrieve their laptops and keys and can take the day to prepare. We can’t wait to see our students Thursday morning.”
“Our victory shows the power of our collective!” Downer Elementary fifth-grade teacher Wendy Gonzalez told Richmondside news.