United Teachers of Richmond conferred with district leadership Monday and offered a proposal on several key issues, said teachers union President Marissa Glidden.
The parties will meet again Wednesday, and if there isn't an agreement by Friday, Glidden could call on union members for a strike authorization vote. A survey sent out to teachers last week indicated a majority are in favor of a strike if their demands aren't met.
Specifically, the union is calling for:
- KN95 and N95 masks provided to all students and staff daily.
- "Opt-out" instead of "opt-in" Covid testing, so more students and staff will get tested.
- A plan for staff vacancies that ensures a qualified adult is available to fill in when a teacher is out of the classroom.
- A formal procedure for what happens in the case of a class Covid outbreak.
District officials, in a statement to Edsource Monday evening, said they agree KN95 masks, robust contact tracing, support for schools to cover employee absences and vaccine clinics are "appropriate areas to direct our focus and resources as our district, like many across the state, is strained by the Omicron surge."
The union's proposal follows actions by teachers and students over the past few weeks that highlighted safety concerns. West Contra Costa Unified, like other districts in the Bay Area, has seen large numbers of staff and student absences, as well as Covid cases, throughout the past few weeks. The district already had a staff shortage prior to the omicron surge and is relying on substitutes and administrative staff to fill in when teachers are absent.
