By Ken Epstein
In an escalation of labor pressure, hundreds of teachers boycotted district-organized Professional Development (PD) sessions, instead attending a mass, Oakland Education Association (OEA) rally this week at Lake Merritt to demand the Oakland Unified School District begin bargaining “in good faith” for a new union contract.
The rally Wednesday afternoon was held at the Lake Merritt Amphitheater, across from the Oakland Museum.
Chairing the rally, OEA Vice President Kampala Taiz-Rancifer said the union has been trying to negotiate for months with the school district for a new contract but has not received responses to its demands for “dignity, respect in the workplace … for a living wage (and)… for student supports and community schools.”
“Oakland has been bargaining with OUSD for safe and racially just community schools,” she said. “We are here today to demand that OUSD bargain with us in good faith.”
OEA Interim President Ismael Armendariz said, “Today, we took a step in having a labor action; we walked out on our [professional development]. That is an escalation.”
“OUSD has been bargaining with OEA since October,” he continued. “We have a 51-member bargaining team that spent hours crafting [21] bargaining proposals. OUSD has come to the table with two unserious proposals and zero counter [proposals].”
Criticizing the district’s approach to bargaining in public, he said, “We cannot bargain on Facebook Live; we are going to bargain at the table.”
He accused the district of spreading “fear, uncertainty and doubt to divide us as workers,” which is a “boss tactic,” adding that the district is talking about a budget crisis, even though it has received $66 million from the state to develop community schools.
“There is always a budget crisis when we’re bargaining,” Armendariz said.
OEA is getting ready to take a vote to see if members are prepared to strike if necessary. Also, word is circulating that some union members are getting ready for a short unauthorized or wildcat strike to demonstrate teachers’ willingness to stand up to the district.
Even though the district is not in financial difficulties, it has passed a budget proposal that includes possible school closures or mergers, as well as layoffs and a hiring freeze.
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