More than 5,200 members of the United Educators of San Francisco voted overwhelmingly to authorize union leadership to strike as teachers fight for more public education funding.
The union representing San Francisco Unified School District staff such as educators, nurses, counselors and psychologists voted 97.6% in favor, paving the way for a potential strike.
“Our community stands with us in the fight for the stable classroom teachers, special education supports, and stable programming our students and families need and deserve,” UESF wrote in a Facebook post Saturday.
The district is putting funds into savings accounts and outsourcing work to travel psychologists or non-district special education support staff, the post said.
The last time San Francisco educators went on strike was in 1979, according to the union. The strike lasted seven weeks.
Read more: Los Angeles Unified School District teachers union members authorize strike, heightening pressure on contract talks
The union did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on Sunday.
San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Maria Su said in a post Sunday that they “remain committed to negotiating in good faith with UESF and working toward an agreement that supports our students, educators, and school communities.”
A special meeting of the Board of Education is scheduled for Wednesday to focus on labor negotiations, including a resolution that would allow superintendents to “make necessary operational decisions in the event of a strike,” the post said.
The strike authorization vote came on the same day that Southern California educators said they were preparing to take to picket lines to demand better wages and working conditions.
united teachers los angeles Members also authorized the leadership to initiate a strike. Another union representing Southern California educators, Service Employees International Union Local 99, is also scheduled to vote starting Monday on whether to authorize a strike.
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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
