The Abridged version:
- Twin Rivers Unified School District, which includes much of northern Sacramento County, and its educators reached a tentative contract agreement after a 12-day strike.
- The agreement includes 7% raises for educators over the next two years, $4,000 bonuses and 100% employer-paid health care.
- It ends the longest strike in recent memory for Sacramento County schools.
Twin Rivers Unified School District and its educators’ union reached a tentative agreement on Sunday afternoon, ending the teachers and staff’s strike after 12 days.
Teachers will return to classrooms on Monday throughout Twin Rivers, which includes schools in North Sacramento as well as North Highlands, Rio Linda and other Sacramento County communities.
They’ll do so with a two-year agreement in hand that promises 7% raises over the next two years (plus more for speech language pathologists), $4,000 bonuses and 100% employer-paid Kaiser Permanente health care. Schools remained open throughout the strike.
A majority of union members need to vote in favor of the contract. The agreement also needs sign-off from school board trustees, one of whom has already signaled her support for teachers’ demands.
“Our members stood strong for 12 days and fought for fully funded classrooms. With these investments we’ve made important progress in ending the staffing crisis,” Twin Rivers United Educators President Brittoni Ward said in a news release. “This contract is a massive shift in how our district prioritizes students and classrooms.”
Health care coverage realized
Fully-covered health care was the largest sticking point in negotiations, both for Twin Rivers educators and those in Natomas Unified School District, who ended their nine-day strike on March 19.
School board member Sharon Reichelt visited a picket line March 13 to voice her support for teachers’ demands.
“I am a teacher, and this is breaking my heart,” she said. “I told (Superintendent Steve Martinez) that I want him to go back to the table and settle on benefits. And I support full benefits.”
Some community members and leaders, though, protested, pointing out that many residents of the Twin Rivers Unified neighborhoods are on the brink of losing their health care access due to federal cuts.
Strike sets new record
Assemblymember Maggy Krell, D-Sacramento, facilitated the Twin Rivers agreement Sunday afternoon after repeatedly urging both sides back to the bargaining table.
It was the longest strike in Sacramento County history, to recent memory, blowing past Natomas Unified as well as the Sacramento City Teachers Association’s eight-day stoppage in 2022. The statewide record belongs to Oakland, with a 26-day strike in 1996.
“While this agreement is not yet final and remains subject to ratification, it represents meaningful progress toward supporting our educators and maintaining a strong, stable learning environment for our students,” a statement posted to Twin Rivers Unified’s website read. “We appreciate the patience, collaboration, and commitment shown by our staff, families, and community during this time.”
Savannah Kuchar is a reporter covering education. She came to Sacramento to be a part of the Abridged team and contribute to a crucial local news source.