Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Labor Contracts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Educators Urge Board to Settle Contracts Now; Speakers Cite Pay, Turnover and Working Conditions
Summary
Teachers, substitutes and union representatives told the board May 22 that bargaining has dragged on since February and urged a prompt, fair settlement before the school year ends; several speakers requested a 6% raise and described high turnover at some schools.
Multiple educators and union representatives used the meeting’s public‑comment period May 22 to press the San Francisco Board of Education to settle outstanding contract negotiations before the end of the school year.
Benton Tong, president of the Association of Chinese Teachers, thanked interim Superintendent Chan and urged the board, during its superintendent search, to choose a superintendent who understands educational equity and teacher needs. Betty Robinson Harris, chair of the Child Development Committee and a bargaining team member, asked the board to support a "rapid, fair, and equitable" contract settlement.
Daniel Markarian, speaking for substitutes and the UASF substitutes bargaining team, urged equitable treatment for day‑to‑day, site‑support and core substitutes and asked that a settlement be reached promptly.
UESF and other speakers described long bargaining and scarcity of offers from the district. One speaker summarized the bargaining timeline and budget context, saying the district has been "9% behind the average of what other school districts spend on their employees" and urged the board to put money on the table. A direct quote captured the urgency: "We are worth the 6% raise," one speaker said.
Teacher Michael Eric Burnside, who said he will leave after 13 years of teaching, described high principal turnover and a 33% annual teacher turnover rate at his school and urged the board to take action to stabilize schools.
Board response: Superintendent Chan and the board acknowledged the comments and accepted letters from teachers and paraprofessionals. No immediate contract action occurred at the May 22 meeting; speakers asked board bargaining representatives to bring a compensation package forward at a planned negotiation session later in the week.
