San Francisco teachers reach deal with district to avoid strike after all-night bargaining session

Teachers and the school district in San Francisco have avoided a threatened strike following a marathon all-night bargaining session that resulted in a tentative agreement, the teachers’ union and the district announced Friday morning.

The United Educators of San Francisco (UESF) announced the tentative agreement on its social media channels Friday, just over a week after voting overwhelmingly to authorize a strike against the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).

In a video message, the UESF said the deal with the SFUSD was the result of months of rallying and picketing to bring the teachers’ demands to the forefront.

“Every win in this tentative agreement is the direct result of the organizing and advocating by educators, families, and community supporters who showed up and pushed the district to agree to a fair contract that would stabilize our schools, said UESF President Cassondra Curiel. “This [tentative agreement] is a direct result of our collective power.”

The tentative agreement includes a $9,000 salary increase for teachers this school year and an additional 5% raise for the 2024-2025 school year.

Additional highlights include:

• A minimum salary of $30 per hour or an 8% increase (whichever is greater) the first year and a 5% increase the 2nd year.
• A 15% raise for substitute teachers over two years while Prop A substitutes would make $80 more than the day-to-day sub rate. There will no longer be a two-tiered pay rate for subs.
• Additional stipends for social workers, nurses and special education teachers. 

“We are thrilled to reach an agreement with our labor partners that provides our dedicated educators with well-deserved raises,” said Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne in a prepared statement. “We recognize and appreciate the tireless effort, commitment, and inspiration they bring to the classroom every day. This increase in compensation reflects our commitment to valuing and supporting our educators, and attracting and retaining talented professionals.”

“We appreciate Dr. Wayne and his cabinet for taking our demands seriously, and we look forward to working together in partnership with SFUSD to continue to build the schools our students deserve,” Curiel said in the district’s press statement.

The tentative agreement must be ratified by the UESF membership and finalized upon a vote by the San Francisco Board of Education at an upcoming meeting.

The agreement would be subject to a vote by UESF members and the San Francisco Board of Education before it becomes official.

The early morning deal with teachers was the second bit of good labor news for the SFUSD this week. The district and the union representing more than 1,000 school employees including custodial and clerical staff also reached a tentative labor agreement to avert a strike.

SFUSD announced Wednesday that Service Employees International Union Local 1021 has agreed to a deal that includes pay increases dating back to last year and a one-time stipend of $1,500 per employee.