Teachers in Oakland, CA are getting back to work today after voting to approve a new contract. The strike, which started on February 21st, caused Oakland’s 86 public schools to remain closed for the time since. Now, it would appear that all sides are satisfied and work will continue as usual, with a few significant changes.
Approximately 3000 teachers joined the strike on February 21st. The beginning of the strike was followed by a week of marathon negotiations. The teacher’s grievances included concerns over pay, classroom sizes, classroom conditions, and several other issues. The strike, which has left about 36000 students out of the classroom, has come to an end. Teachers will receive an 11% pay raise and a one-off 3% bonus.
The US has seen a wave of teachers’ strikes in the last few months. Oakland is one of the last cities to see the wave of teachers’ activism end with a strike-induced deal. There have long been concerns regarding teachers’ pay and over-sized classrooms across several municipalities, but 2018 and 2019 has seen much action being taken to address educators’ concerns.
