Dublin Teachers Vote To Authorize Strike Over Stalled Negotiations

DUBLIN, CA — The Dublin Teachers Association said that 98% of its members voted to authorize a strike if they cannot reach an agreement with the Dublin Unified School District.

“For over 18 months, Dublin educators have been putting forward clear, responsible solutions that prioritize students and protect classrooms,” DTA President Brad Dobrzenski said in a statement shared with the Bay Area News Group and Pleasanton Weekly. “District leadership has failed to implement these solutions. This strike authorization vote shows that our educators are united and serious about demanding that management invest in Dublin students.”

Patch has reached out to DTA for further comment.

Before a strike, both parties must complete a state-mandated fact-finding process, which has not been scheduled as of Monday, but is likely to occur at some point in February, according to district spokesperson Chip Dehnert.

“Dublin Unified School District remains committed to reaching a negotiated agreement with the Dublin Teachers Association,” Superintendent Chris Funk said in a statement, noting more than three consecutive years of multi-million-dollar budget reductions. “However, the parties remain far apart, and the union’s current proposal, which has not changed from its initial submission, would increase ongoing District costs by approximately 14 percent. That level of increase is not fiscally possible without even deeper and more damaging cuts to programs and services for students.”

Funk said a strike would be “disruptive to students and families and cause lasting financial harm to our schools.”

On Tuesday, the DUSD Board will consider a resolution to authorize reducing 30.5 full-time equivalent certified positions, along with 12 dedicated guest teacher roles, according to district documents. Teachers have said the proposed cuts could ultimately affect dozens of educators across the district. In a recent Instagram post, the DTA called on trustees to reject the proposed staffing reductions, arguing they would lead to further overcrowding.

“Our students deserve solutions, not excuses. Hopefully the school board will do the right thing on Tuesday and say no to these cuts. Keeping these teachers can help create smaller class sizes! It's time to invest in students. The buildings are built. No excuses to have overcrowded classrooms. Our students deserve better,” DTA said in a post urging the community to speak at Tuesday’s board meeting.

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• Dublin Education Alliance Hopes To Alleviate Budget Cuts