The Abridged version:
- Educators from West Sacramento, Natomas and other local districts say they are prepared to strike if their demands for higher compensation and better working conditions are not met soon.
- Five unions threatening strikes in the Sacramento area joined a statewide coalition of more than 30 groups, spearheaded by the California Teachers Association.
- There is no exact timeline for when these potential strikes could occur. Union leaders in Natomas and other districts are pointing to West Contra Costa Unified, where educators walked out in December following three months of impasse.
From Woodland to Rocklin, teachers in the Sacramento region are poised to strike as soon as this spring.
Five unions in the area are among the more than 30 groups statewide coalescing under the We Can’t Wait campaign, spearheaded by the California Teachers Association.
Teachers from multiple districts are pushing for shared goals, including higher compensation and smaller class sizes.
Stalled negotiations have increased simmering tensions, and educators say they are already gearing up to potentially walk out.
Weekend gathering to be ‘strike ready’
Teachers, students and community members plan to gather Saturday to draw up signs and banners — artwork that would be available if there is a strike.
The event, at the California Teachers Association office in Natomas, will also include artist and activist David Solnit, according to a press release.
Participating unions currently in ongoing negotiations include:
- Natomas Teachers’ Association
- Rocklin Teachers Professional Association
- Twin Rivers United Educators
- West Sacramento Teachers Association
- Woodland Education Association
Members of the Sacramento City Teachers Association, who agreed last fall to a two-year contract and raise, are also being encouraged to attend in support, union President Nikki Milevsky said.
Widespread tensions stall negotiations
Together, the five local districts have an enrollment of about 61,500 students, according to California Department of Education data. Officials and unions at each ended the year deep in their respective bargaining.
Discussions in Natomas and Rocklin have reached the stage known as “fact-finding” — the last step before unions are able to go on strike.
How long fact-finding will take and when a strike could occur is unclear, according to the Natomas Unified School District website.
But Sacramento-area union leaders are pointing to a Bay Area district as a possible example: Last fall, the teachers union at West Contra Costa Unified in Richmond declared impasse in September and entered a formal fact-finding process with the district in November. Educators went on a four-day strike starting Dec. 4.
Sacramento unions look to Bay Area example
On Dec. 10, organizers and officials in West Contra Costa Unified reached an agreement that included an 8% wage increase over two years, fully covered family health insurance by 2027 and retention bonuses for special education teachers.
Nico Vaccaro, president of Natomas Teachers’ Association, said they would like to see similar bumps to pay and benefits, along with smaller class sizes and more support for special education.
“We’re asking our district… to prioritize the needs of the students in the classroom,” Vaccaro told Abridged.
The Natomas Unified School District and its teachers’ organization have hit relentless disputes over funding for increased compensation and additional resources.
Vaccaro argued the district has enough money in reserves to support their demands; Superintendent Robyn Castillo pushed back in a message to families, saying the union’s proposals would deplete those rainy-day funds by next school year.
Savannah Kuchar is a reporter covering education. She came to Sacramento to be part of the Abridged team and contribute to a crucial local news source.