West Contra Costa Unified School District teachers began picketing at school sites Thursday morning as union leaders continued pressing for higher wages and the addressing of other sticking points from the district.
Children arriving for school were met by teachers holding picket signs, some of whom positioned themselves at campus entrances as passing drivers honked in support.
Teachers say chronic underfunding has left more than 70 classrooms vacant, creating academic setbacks for students. Speaking while picketing at Michelle Obama Elementary School in Richmond, third-grade teacher Tiffany Chieudjui said the numbers reflect real harm.
“Our district is seriously underfunded. We have over 70 vacant classrooms, and teachers and students can understand the impact of a vacant classroom,” Chieudjui said. “Last year, I had a student who was at a different school and did not have a kindergarten teacher, and when I was assessing him, it was very apparent he missed an entire year of schooling.”
Chieudjui said the district needs more competitive salaries, a stronger contract, and better working conditions to retain educators.
District leaders said schools would remain open during the strike. In a message Thursday morning, Superintendent Cheryl Cotton said the district has been working to keep campuses safe for students who attend and expressed concern about reports of individuals blocking school entrances, including access points used by special education students.
“They are making a difficult choice that we should all respect, even though we might disagree with it,” Cotton said, adding that independent study remains available for families who want it.
WCCUSD says schools will be open as teachers plan Thursday strike
Teachers in the West Contra Costa Unified School District plan to begin striking Thursday after months of failed contract negotiations, even as district officials pledge to keep all schools open. The United Teachers of Richmond will begin picketing 45 minutes before the first bell at every school site, union President
Soren Hemmila
Cotton also pushed back on union assertions that the district has not responded to them, saying negotiations teams met Monday, communicated Tuesday again, and reached out early Thursday with a proposal based on a fact-finding recommendation.
“We are serious about getting this matter resolved,” she wrote. “We acknowledge that our employees deserve salary and benefits increases, and we want a resolution, but this cannot happen while we are on strike and not at the negotiations table.”
The United Teachers of Richmond announced the strike after contract negotiations broke down. Earlier this week, Teamsters Local 856 members rejected their own tentative agreement with the district and said they would join teachers on the picket line.
The two sides have failed to agree on pay, health care, special education needs, and additional support for international educators working in the district on temporary H-1B visas.
In a statement, the district said it was “saddened” by the decision by UTR and the Teamsters to strike, adding that the concerns over salaries, health benefits, staffing, and student services reflect “complex and challenging issues for our entire community.”
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