SAN FRANCISCO—In a resounding strike mandate, over 5,200 members of the United Educators of San Francisco (UESF) have voted 97.6% to authorize a strike on Jan. 9, setting the stage for the city’s first teachers’ walkout since 1979. That is, unless the school district addresses a severe vacancy and turnover crisis.
The union announced the overwhelming mandate on Jan. 5 at a press conference as educators gathered for strike preparation. They cited the San Francisco Unified School District’s (SFUSD) failure to prioritize classroom stability, fully funded healthcare, and critical support for special education students as the primary reason for the strike.
“The time is now for the district to act,” said UESF President Cassondra Curiel. “Our community is standing with us in our fight for the consistent classroom teachers, special education supports, and stable programs our students and families need and deserve.”
The strike authorization, barring a last-minute deal, sets Monday as the walkout date. The move to strike comes after nearly a year of negotiations centered on demands the union says are essential to halt the turnover of teachers from a district where the cost of living has become prohibitive.
Teachers pointed to SFUSD’s offer of a 6% raise over two years as insufficient. They are seeking increases as high as 14% and highlighted the district’s recent allocation of $111 million into a reserve fund—money they insist should be directed back into classrooms and teachers’ salaries.
“Instead of siphoning money out of our schools and into savings accounts, or contracting out to traveling psychologists or non-district special education support staff, SFUSD should be prioritizing stability for our students,” Curiel stated.
The staffing crisis is felt acutely in special education, where high-needs classrooms have gone without permanent teachers for years and crucial support positions remain vacant. It is now undermining legally mandated services, the union said.
“The most vulnerable students in the district have been subjected to the least stable learning environments as unsustainable working conditions cause educators to leave the district each year.”
Compounding the staffing shortage is the burden of outrageous healthcare costs. UESF notes that San Francisco educators receive some of the lowest district contributions in the region, with monthly premiums soaring to $1,500—consuming up to 40% of the paychecks of the lowest-paid classroom support staff. Many neighboring districts offer fully covered healthcare, making SFUSD uncompetitive and exacerbating its vacancy rate.
The high cost of living in the Bay Area is another central driver of the strike vote. “Each year it gets more and more expensive living in San Francisco, and each year it gets harder and harder to continue to come back,” Monica, a district teacher with a decade of service, told Fox-KTVU.
Parents are also rallying behind the teachers and signaling broad community support for the potential strike. Andrea Pereira, a parent at Sunnyside Elementary, told the San Francisco Standard that after bringing over 100 pro-union posters to her children’s school, parents took them all.
“My kids are going to be walking the picket line with me in support of our teachers,” she said.
The union is also demanding strengthened sanctuary and housing protections for immigrants and housing-insecure students and families. They are framing the contract fight as part of a broader struggle for the “soul of public education” in a city grappling with rising inequality and the threats of ICE terror.
“Educators remain at the table, committed to a settlement that ensures fully funded family healthcare, safe and supportive conditions in special education, and critical student protections,” the union said.
“What comes next is ultimately up to the district and their actions,” Curiel said, “but San Francisco educators are making it clear that we are more than willing to do everything we can for our community.”
As Monday approaches, the nearly 6,000 educators of SFUSD stand on the brink of a historic work stoppage. They are ready to walk out and demand, with the community backing them, that the district invest in its students and the dedicated staff who serve them.
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