San Francisco School District prepares for teacher strike vote

By Adam Martin, Bay City News Service

March 30, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO(BCN) - The San Francisco Unified School District cannot expect to see any more state money to support a pay raise for teachers.

State Superintendent Jack O'Connell today wrote in a letter to Gwen Chan, the district's interim superintendent, " ... expenditure reductions or additional revenues in excess of the state-wide revenue growth projections would be required to balance the budget.''

United Educators of San Francisco, which represents the district's teachers and paraprofessionals, has called for a 10 percent raise over the 18-month contract period. The district has said it will not agree to more than 7.5 percent.

Union members are scheduled to vote tonight on whether to approve a strike if their demands are not met during the next two state-mediated negotiating sessions. The sessions are scheduled for April 4 and 10. The union has said it will not strike before the end of the last scheduled session, but that it will not schedule any more sessions.

District spokeswoman Lorna Ho said today that each percentage point of salary represents a $2.7 million per year cost for the district.

If the union strikes, Ho said, "We (the district) will take the necessary steps to keep the schools open,'' including bringing in temporary teachers.

But Ho said a strike would put the district in "an awkward position.''

Union president Dennis Kelly has said that the negotiations have gone on long enough. "The district has taken every opportunity to prolong these negotiations,'' he said in a March 16 news conference.

Union members are scheduled to meet from 4 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. today, at Kezar Pavilion at 755 Stanyan St., San Francisco, Hardy said. The result of the vote will be read at about 8:30 p.m., Hardy said.

Ho said the district will issue its response to the outcome of tonight's union meeting at about 9:30 p.m. at the district's headquarters at 555 Franklin St.

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