Dublin teachers vote to authorize strike

"DUBLIN - Teachers are poised to walk off the job if they cannot reach a "student-centered agreement" with the Dublin Unified School District in the coming weeks, union officials said. In a statement Thursday, the Dublin Teachers Association said more than 98% of its members participated in a vote to authorize a strike, with 95% voting in favor. The vote comes after the union declared an impasse in November and mediation on Jan. 6 resulted in "no meaningful movement from the district," according to the union."

""For over 18 months, Dublin educators have been putting forward clear, responsible solutions that prioritize students and protect classrooms," DTA President Brad Dobrzenski said in the statement. "District leadership has failed to implement these solutions. This strike authorization vote shows that our educators are united and serious about demanding that management invest in Dublin students." The final step in the negotiations - an impasse hearing - is expected to take place in the coming weeks."

More than 98% of Dublin Teachers Association members participated in an authorization vote, with 95% voting in favor of a strike. The union declared an impasse in November and reports mediation on Jan. 6 produced no meaningful movement from the district. The union demands class-size reductions, manageable special-education caseloads, and improved educator healthcare, asserting that educators have proposed student-focused solutions for 18 months that district leadership has not implemented. An impasse hearing will convene before a neutral third party and panel; the panel chair will issue a non-binding recommendation, after which the union may strike if no settlement is reached.

Read at The Mercury News