San Francisco public schools closed Monday as teachers walked off the job for the first time since 1979, leaving approximately 50,000 students without classes and no clear end in sight to the labor dispute.
The United Educators of San Francisco (UESF), representing about 6,000 educators, counselors, and nurses, called the strike after nearly a year of unsuccessful negotiations with the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). A separate union representing 253 administrators and principals has joined in a sympathy strike.
“The affordability crisis for those of us devoted to San Francisco’s next generation is real,” said Cassondra Curiel, president of UESF, in a statement to The New York Times. “Enough is enough.”
Health care costs stand as a central issue in the dispute. Currently, the district pays for individual coverage, but teachers with families pay approximately $1,200 monthly for health insurance—a figure set to increase to about $1,500 per month, according to the union.
Ryan Alias, a high school English teacher, told The Times that he pays $1,500 monthly to insure his wife and two daughters. “This is a life-changing amount of money,” Alias said. “For my family and many of us, this is a stability issue for this district.”
The union is demanding full coverage of health insurance premiums and a 9% to 14% raise over two years. The district’s latest proposal includes a 6% raise over two years and coverage of a significant portion of family premiums for three years using funds from a local tax, with uncertainty about funding beyond that period.
On Saturday evening, the district offered a $24,000 health benefits allowance and a 6% raise, but with cuts in other areas, according to KTVU.
“We will not sell out our students or our members to get a wage increase when we know the district has the money to do that,” Curiel stated.
SFUSD maintains it faces significant financial constraints despite making progress in weekend negotiations. The district is currently operating under a structural deficit, having cut $114 million from its budget last year and facing another $102 million deficit this fiscal year.
“We don’t have unlimited money and have to make difficult choices,” said SFUSD spokesperson Laura Dudnick.
The district disputes claims about available reserves, stating on its website that its reserves are not “hidden surplus” but necessary safeguards against financial instability. SFUSD explains it has an 8% Board-Established Reserve (approximately $111 million) and a 2% State-Mandated Reserve (approximately $28 million) that cannot be used for ongoing expenses like salary increases.
The previous San Francisco teachers’ strike in 1979 lasted seven weeks, making it one of the longest in California history. The current strike has no set end date, creating uncertainty for families across the city.
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