The Abridged version:
- Teachers in West Sacramento announced an agreement with the Washington Unified school district Wednesday morning, following a year of negotiations and the threat of a strike.
- The deal in Yolo County means teachers there will not follow in the steps of two Sacramento unions. Twin Rivers Unified and Natomas Unified just concluded their strikes, each lasting more than a week.
- West Sacramento teachers will receive a 9% salary increase split over two years, 100% employer-funded health care through 2027 and additional support for special education staff.
Teachers in West Sacramento will not be striking after all.
Educators in the Washington Unified School District had threatened a work stoppage after more than a year of stalled negotiations. But with the announcement of a last-minute deal Wednesday morning, the union said that will no longer be necessary.
“This is a win for the entire West Sacramento community,” Doug Knepp, president of the West Sacramento Teachers Association, said in a statement. “We are proud to have reached an agreement that will help retain and recruit educators and strengthen our schools and classrooms for years to come.”
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The agreement includes a 9% salary increase divided over two years and fully funded health care coverage through 2027, according to a union press release. The district also agreed to additional salary increases for special education staff, the union said, in order to aid in teacher retention.
There will not be three strikes in Sacramento area
The deal in West Sacramento comes on the heels of two prolonged Sacramento County strikes.
Teachers in Natomas Unified and Twin Rivers Unified just concluded their own strikes, based on many of the same compensation demands. Natomas Unified’s strike wrapped last Thursday, and teachers were back in the classroom by Friday. Twin Rivers Unified reached a deal Sunday afternoon, ending the county’s record-long strike and letting educators return at the start of the week.
West Sacramento schools are currently on spring break through April 6. Union members are expected to vote on the contract after break. School board members will also need to sign off.
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.