STRIKE POSTPONED! BREAKING NEWS — DISTRICT REFUSES TO BARGAIN!
On Friday, April 16, days after OEA sent a letter requesting to resume bargaining based on the newly-released fact-finding report, the District informed us that they do not intend to return to the table to bargain, and that they want us to accept their last, best, final offer! As you recall, that contained nothing — no compensation, the promise of increased class sizes, no minimum number of Adult Ed employees, etc. This is unacceptable!
As voted at Rep Council on Monday, April 12, the one-day strike set for April 22 was postponed until April 29 to insure that we are "strike legal," allow us time to study the fact-finding report (received April 14), and to go back to the bargaining table in an attempt to reach a fair settlement of our long-standing contract dispute. Remember: the fact-finding report is non-binding and advisory, and any favorable recommendations contained in the report would have to be bargained in order to be part of a tentative agreement. But it appears the District is unwilling to pursue a fair settlement, giving us no choice but to strike.
Download the following reports/letters/flyers and get them to your colleagues:
Fact-finding report
Letter to be distributed to parents and community members about why we are striking April 29th. It will be available in multiple languages next week.
Informational flyer about a special informational meeting for all OEA members on Thursday, April 22 at 4:00pm at Oakland High School, 1023 MacArthur Blvd. to discuss the fact-finding report and prepare for April 29th.
Strike flyer to distribute to parents and the community highlighting our demands for a fair contract! Available in multiple languages at April 22 meeting.
ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE!!!
As voted at Rep Council on Monday, April 12, the one-day strike set for April 22 was postponed until April 29 to insure that we are "strike legal," allow us time to study the fact-finding report (received April 14), and to go back to the bargaining table in an attempt to reach a fair settlement of our long-standing contract dispute. Remember: the fact-finding report is non-binding and advisory, and any favorable recommendations contained in the report would have to be bargained in order to be part of a tentative agreement. But it appears the District is unwilling to pursue a fair settlement, giving us no choice but to strike.
Download the following reports/letters/flyers and get them to your colleagues:
Fact-finding report
Letter to be distributed to parents and community members about why we are striking April 29th. It will be available in multiple languages next week.
Informational flyer about a special informational meeting for all OEA members on Thursday, April 22 at 4:00pm at Oakland High School, 1023 MacArthur Blvd. to discuss the fact-finding report and prepare for April 29th.
Strike flyer to distribute to parents and the community highlighting our demands for a fair contract! Available in multiple languages at April 22 meeting.
ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE!!!
If you're reading this, you probably know that OUSD and its primary teacher union are in the midst of very difficult negotiations and that the threat of a strike is looming. A number of issues at the state, federal, municipal, and district levels have created a challenging environment for collective bargaining. As a result, OUSD has not been able to reach an agreement with the Oakland Education Association (OEA).
The purpose of this section is to encourage understanding of the financial pressures that shape contract negotiations. It's a multifaceted problem, but the essence is this:
We believe Oakland teachers deserve more money and we'd like to pay them more—in fact, we're already working on creative ways to make this happen. Yet, right now, we can't increase compensation without jeopardizing the District's financial stability.
In an era when Districts all across California are laying off teachers, increasing class sizes, implementing furloughs, slashing programs, cutting pay, and shortening the length of the school year, OUSD is keeping teacher pay level while covering the increased cost of benefits. A status quo contract like OUSD has offered its teachers union makes it one of the few large districts in California to not take money back from its teachers in one form or another.
This is not the way things should be, but it is the reality presented by California's economic crisis and cuts to education funding that are unprecedented in scope. Recognizing this, OUSD's other unions have all agreed, either in principle or in total, to status quo contracts that extend current salary levels while covering increased benefits costs. We hope that we can come to similar terms with OEA at this time, while working to secure greater compensation in the future.
It's true that OUSD teachers are underpaid compared to their peers in neighboring districts and this disparity must be addressed, but it also must be addressed in a responsible way. Fresh out of state control, we must live within our means if we wish to avoid a return to insolvency and state administration. We are stretching ourselves thin just to maintain current teacher salaries and there is simply no money in the budget to increase them. That's why we are looking at other ways to fund higher teacher salaries that don't sap our depleted general fund even further. Take a look at how other school districts throughout the state are handling the budget crisis by clicking here.
These web pages provide parents, community members, and employees with the latest information on negotiations with OEA. They also contain information for parents that should prove useful in the event of a strike, background on the District's financial status and perspective on California's economic woes. As developments warrant, we will update this page to keep pace with changing events.
For more information, please contact Troy Flint at troy.flint@ousd.k12.ca.us or (510) 473-5832.
These web pages provide parents, community members, and employees with the latest information on negotiations with OEA. They also contain information for parents that should prove useful in the event of a strike, background on the District's financial status and perspective on California's economic woes. As developments warrant, we will update this page to keep pace with changing events.
For more information, please contact Troy Flint at troy.flint@ousd.k12.ca.us or (510) 473-5832.