OAKLAND, CA (KGO) -- The Oakland Unified School District is turning to one of the world's most popular websites in hopes of protecting themselves from a looming strike. The district is looking to hire more than 2,000 teachers in a hurry, but may only be hiring them for one day.
It's a posting on Craigslist that for now is just a potential, one-day opportunity, but if the planned one-day strike turns longer, then the temporary job offers from the Oakland Unified School District could be extended. But any out-of-work teachers are going to need some determination to cross a picket line.
The district posted an ad on Craigslist offering $300 a day for "emergency temporary teachers." It's a backup plan, in case its teachers go through with a threatened one-day strike April 22nd. Up to 2,500 substitutes may be hired if teachers walk off the job.
The Oakland Education Association wants to put pressure on the district because it's been working without a contract since July 2008. Negotiations have been stalling -- at issue are wages and class sizes. A union spokesman calls the Craigslist job ad a frightening move.
"These people are for all intensive purposes, people who may or may not have passed the California Basic Educational Skills Test. This is a test that is at 8th