"MEMBERS OF the Oakland Education Association (OEA) voted by a 94 percent margin to authorize a one-day strike, and by an 89 percent margin to support the March 4 Day of Action against education budget cuts.
The union is in the stage of bargaining called fact-finding, which comes after the two sides reach an impasse. The move to authorize a strike comes after a year and a half of fruitless negotiations with the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD). In addition to authorizing a strike, members voted unanimously to oppose the district's 'last, best and final offer.'"
The union is in the stage of bargaining called fact-finding, which comes after the two sides reach an impasse. The move to authorize a strike comes after a year and a half of fruitless negotiations with the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD). In addition to authorizing a strike, members voted unanimously to oppose the district's 'last, best and final offer.'"
The district's offer is based on the logic that there is no money, and only cuts are on the table. However, a document authored by the OEA's bargaining team proves that there is enough money to settle the contract. The problem is that the district's priorities are testing, corporate consultants and administrators, rather than teacher retention and quality education for students.
Here are a couple examples of spending where the money would be better used to reduce class sizes and pay teachers a competitive salary:
-- The OUSD spends $10 million a year for "benchmark testing" and test prep materials.
-- More than $5 million is paid out to consultants to outsource jobs like professional development and curriculum coaching.
-- The district makes annual payments of $6 million toward its debt to the state of California.
-- Perhaps most outrageous, OUSD pays million-dollar fines to the state for exceeding the 8-to-100 administrator-to-teacher ratio mandated by law.
The district's offer has a pay freeze for the 2009-2010 school year, but re-openers in the