Classes Cancelled For Second Day Due To Teachers Strike
San Andreas, CA – A teachers strike will keep students out of the classroom on Friday.
Teachers hit the picket lines today after contract negotiations broke down last night with the Calaveras Unified School District officials. Superintendent Mark Campbell states that due to the inability to secure sufficient staffing to operate safe, secure and productive schools, all district schools will be closed on Friday. In regards to what will happen Monday, Campbell indicates, “We are working on two fronts. We’re working to secure substitute teachers and classified staff to allow us to operate schools on Monday, but at the same time we’re also seeking to engage our teachers union in ongoing negotiations to ideally reach a resolution that has them back in the classroom on Monday.”
Campbell tells Clarke Broadcasting that both sides budged a little during talks that went late into Wednesday night. The main sticking point is compensation with the district initially offering two percent and the union wanting a 6.5 percent raise, stating, “We had a lot of dialogue. We didn’t exchange any formal proposals but I can tell you that both sides moved to a degree that we feel that we’re really close. I feel that if we get back to the table we can reach resolution because there was movement on both sides.”
Campbell says he is waiting to hear back from the teachers union to engage in another round of negotiations that could last through the weekend as he notes the ramification of the strike, “Even if it’s just the two days that’s a tremendous impact. It’s two days of lost education for our kids, two days of lost average daily attendance, a revenue source for the district. So it’s a monumental impact.”
One area not affected by the walk out is athletics as Campbell shares that all activities will continue including the football teams away game against Amador on Friday night.
