Oakland teachers avert strike, up to 13% raises on the table

Oakland teachers avert strike, agree to 2-year contract

A teachers' strike in Oakland was averted early Friday morning after the union representing educators in the district announced it reached a tentative agreement with school officials following an 18-hour bargaining session.

OAKLAND, Calif. - A teachers' strike in Oakland was averted early Friday morning after the union representing educators in the district announced it reached a tentative agreement with school officials following an 18-hour bargaining session.

The Oakland Education Association, which represents about 3,000 educators in the district, said on social media at about 3 a.m. that it had come to terms with the Oakland Unified School District on a two-year contract.

According to the union, the tentative agreement includes a 13% wage increase for the highest-paid educators and an 11% wage increase for other educators. The deal also provides a $7 per-student book allowance for teacher librarians, salary enhancements for social workers and special education teachers, and smaller counselor-to-student ratios.

The agreement comes a day after district board members approved 400 job cuts for the next school year. The reductions include positions such as school counselors, literacy tutors, custodians and some administrative and attendance assistants.

The district is facing a $100 million budget deficit, raising concerns about insolvency and the possibility of another state takeover.

Officials with the Oakland Unified School District did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the tentative agreement or how the district plans to pay for it.