SAN FRANCISCO — After going on strike Feb 9, teachers here have set up picket lines at schools across the city and held giant rallies to press their demands. This is the first teachers strike in San Francisco in 47 years.
Thousands rallied at a city park Feb. 10, making it clear they’re determined to win demands they deserve, including a 9% wage increase, smaller class sizes, health coverage for family members and an end to unfilled staff vacancies.
Giant cheers went up when it was announced the school board was beginning to retreat on its insistence that money could not be found for better health care for dependents, a key demand.
“Teachers have to pay a lot more for insurance similar to what city workers now get,” Michael Ungar, a government and history teacher at Lowell High School, told the Militant. “We need full coverage for dependents,” Lowell English teacher Stephanie Grabtree added. “Now, they are saying if we want this health coverage we have to make concessions in other areas. We say no!”
As they streamed into the park, teachers sported United Educators of San Francisco shirts, hats and other union regalia. Off and on rain did not deter them from listening to rally speakers and joining a milelong march from Dolores Park to the Civic Center near City Hall.