After almost two weeks, Oakland’s striking educators and the Oakland Unified School District have reached a preliminary agreement on some “common good” terms on Saturday.
The Oakland Education Association (OEA) union — representing about 3,000 public school educators, including teachers, counselors, nurses, psychologists, librarians, and more in the state’s 11th largest district — said that, “We are still on strike, but momentum is on our side.”
"OEA's bargaining team continues to bargain to reach a full Tentative Agreement,” it added.
BREAKING: OEA has reached agreement on the following Common Good items: Reparations for Black Students, resources for unhoused students, school closures & shared governance. We are still on strike, but momentum is on our side. #Unite4OaklandStudents pic.twitter.com/OHoO1Cuua9
— Oakland Education Association (@OaklandEA) May 14, 2023
The “common good” provisions encompass several key demands, including reparations for Black students, resources for unhoused students, school closures, and the implementation of “shared governance.”
However, the union said that the school district hasn’t made progress on their demands like higher salaries, according to ABC7.
Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell reportedly told frustrated parents last week that the district is offering raises of as much as 22% for some teachers.
The timing of this announcement is significant, as the end of the school year looms. KTVU reported that some parents have started to become disappointed with the length of the strike and crossed picket lines, sending their children back to school.
The situation is still unfolding as negotiations continue, and the timeline for the strike is still unclear.
Image via Google Maps.
