Oakland Teachers Authorize Strike

OAKLAND, CA — Oakland teachers have voted by an overwhelming margin of 95 percent to 5 percent to authorize a strike, union leader Keith Brown announced at a boisterous news conference at Oakland Technical High School on Monday.

Brown, the president of the Oakland Education Association, said no strike date has been set yet because the union and the Oakland Unified School District are still awaiting a report that's expected to be issued by Feb. 15 by a state-appointed neutral fact-finder who is tasked with helping to resolve the contract negotiations. The report is non-binding.

Brown said that unless the school district moves significantly from its current position, "We expect to be on strike by the end of the month."

Brown said the teachers' union is asking for smaller class sizes, living wages for educators and additional student resources that educators are fighting for, including more counselors and school nurses.

Contract talks between the school district and the union, which represents 3,000 educators, have been going on for about a year and a half.

The union is asking for a 12 percent raise over three years while the district is offering a 5 percent pay hike. Oakland teachers have noted that the last time they went on strike in 1996 it lasted for more than two months.

Brown said the 95 percent of teachers voting to authorize going on strike is the highest ever for the union. He also said the 84 percent participation rate is the highest ever.

Teachers voted last Tuesday through last Friday.

Brown said, "This is a clear message that our teachers are ready to strike for our students and for a living wage."

The union said it also will conduct a rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of City Hall at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. It said hundreds of educators will urge the City Council to adopt a resolution on its agenda that night supporting teachers and opposing school closures, as the district plans to close or merge up to 24 schools over five years.

(Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news from your California neighborhood. Also, download the free Patch iPhone app or free Patch Android app. Also, be sure to follow your local Patch on Facebook!) Also See:

• 'Killer Snapshot' Of Sunrise: Photo Of The Day
• CA Chicken Nuggets Recall: Possible Rubber Contamination
• Listeria-Tainted Fruit: Recall In California
• Apple Has Over 600 Job Openings In The Bay Area Right Now

— Bay City News; Image via Shutterstock