Teachers announce second strike at Sacramento City Unified School District
The Sacramento City Teachers Association, embroiled in a labor dispute with the financially troubled Sacramento City Unified School District, announced Tuesday that it will hold its second one-day strike on May 22.
The teachers union made the announcement at a press conference at its Sacramento headquarters, joined by leaders from the California Teachers Association, Oakland Education Association, United Teachers of Los Angeles, Sacramento Central Labor Council, Service Employees International Union Local 1000, California Nurses Association and others.
SCTA President David Fisher on Tuesday declared the union’s first strike successful. He said the April 11 walkout, protesting alleged unfair labor practices, was kept to one day to minimize impact on students but pressured the district to “finally acknowledged that all solutions need to be on the table, including reducing the superintendent’s salary and chopping from the top.”
However, he said the district still is not honoring its labor agreement “and may force another strike on May 22.”
On that same date, the California Teachers Association is holding a “Day of Action” at the Capitol in Sacramento.
In a district statement Tuesday, board President Jessie Ryan said, “On May 22nd rather than striking, we should join forces to demand full and fair funding at CTA’s #RedforEd Capitol Action Day.”
Sacramento City Unified is $35 million in the red, and the second strike would come weeks before the deadline to identify deep cuts and balance its budget by the end of June or face a takeover by the state.
“SCTA leaders have announced another strike at a time when our district is running out of money, on the brink of insolvency and state takeover,” Superintendent Jorge Aguilar said in the district statement. “This strike will once again have a negative impact on our students, particularly those CONTINUE READING: Teachers union announces second strike at Sacramento City Unified | The Sacramento Bee