RICHMOND — Eight months into negotiations with West Contra Costa Unified School District, an overwhelming majority of educators are prepared to strike.
Banners have been painted, posters printed, buttons pressed, all with a similar message: educators and other professionals represented by the United Teachers of Richmond are ready to fight for better pay, benefits, staffing levels and services for students.
Educators are asking for a 10% raise over a two-year period, 100% employer-paid health care and improvements to class sizes, special education and other areas. The district has countered with a single 2% raise and 85% employer-paid health care.
“The more aligned we are, the more the community is here with us, the faster our strike will be, the sooner it will end,” said Sandrine Demathieu, a teacher at Nystrom Elementary School.
Demathieu and her colleague Masa Peterson were among dozens of educators and community members who gathered in October to prepare strike materials.
With paintbrushes in hand, both talked about the sacrifices they’ve made to be teachers as their peers have gone on to more financially lucrative jobs, the love they have for their students and the concerns they have about vacancies, turnover rates and outsourcing services.
Both were among the 98% of union members who voted to strike if necessary after their contract lapsed June 30.
“In teaching, you’re fighting for long-term change, whether that’s with an individual student or the education system as a whole,” Peterson said. “Me teaching a student how to read impacts the rest of their life. That student being able to get the appropriate supports also impacts the rest of their life. We’re always thinking about the day-to-day and the larger picture.”
In a Nov. 20 social media statement, district Trustee Demetrio Gonzalez-Hoy said he supports teachers’ goals while also noting the district faces “genuine fiscal hardship” due to inadequate and inequitable state funding, cuts by the Trump administration and increased costs of providing education, especially for special needs students.
Gonzalez-Hoy said the “exorbitant” amount the district spends on contracts is also partly to blame.
He called for unity and encouraged everyone in the community to collaborate on solutions by participating in community meetings and holding district leadership accountable.
“I believe in reaching a fair contract that honors educators and strengthens our district — not only this year, but for years to come. We must build a future where great teachers and staff can stay, grow, and dedicate their careers to WCCUSD,” said Gonzalez-Hoy, a former teacher in the district and past president of United Teachers of Richmond.
A Nov. 18 report published by Private Equity Stakeholder Action, a nonprofit watchdog group, found that district spending on outside contracts has spiked in the last five years from $59 million to $117 million. The contracts have resulted in the district spending more, particularly on special needs services, while receiving substantially fewer one-on-one hours with students, the report concluded.
Marcus Walton, spokesperson for the Contra Costa County Office of Education, said the district’s fiscal stability over the next two years remains a concern. While unfamiliar with the report, Walton said a cursory review led the county office to conclude that the district has struggled with hiring the necessary staff to provide services to students.
“The district made decisions it decided were best for its community at the time to provide the services needed by the students and families it serves,” Walton said.
West Contra Costa Unified School District Superintendent Cheryl Cotton acknowledged concerns about contracts during a Board of Education meeting on Nov. 19, asserting the district needs to “pair things down” and “tighten things up” in reference to contracts.
“When I came back to West Contra Costa four months ago to a place that I know and love, I knew hard work would be necessary and I also believe that it can be done,” Cotton said. “Let me be clear, the district office must support our school sites, our education professionals and our classified support employees. Some solutions will not be easy and I’m asking all of us to work collaboratively.”
Cotton’s comments came a day after a state panel hearing with representatives from the district’s two unions, United Teachers of Richmond and Teamsters Local Union 856, which represents about 1,500 district employees working clerical, food service, maintenance and other jobs.
A second panel hearing was held the day after. The hearings will result in a nonbinding report with recommendations the parties could choose to adopt or not. If the district and unions do not come to an agreement after the report is finalized, the unions are legally allowed to strike.
“We are committed to continuing these discussions into next week and through the break — whatever it takes — to try to reach a fair resolution and avert a strike that would only hurt our students,” District spokesperson Raechelle Forrest said in a statement Monday.
A tentative agreement has been reached between the district and Teamsters that, if ratified, would give members a single 3% raise, 2% of which would be retroactive beginning July 1, 2025. The additional 1% would begin Jan. 1, 2026. Members will vote on whether to accept the contract terms on Dec. 1 and 2.
As for United Teachers of Richmond, members are less confident the gap between what they’re demanding and what the district is offering will be close enough to prevent a strike. Francisco Ortiz, current union president, said a strike could begin as soon as Dec. 3.
For families, a strike could mean students are temporarily bused to different school campuses or monitored in large groups in auditoriums or cafeterias. Some parents attending a union-led town hall Nov. 20 indicated they planned to keep their child home out of concern for student safety and support for educators on the picket line.
Some classrooms may also be staffed with substitute teachers. Trustees agreed to increase pay for substitutes who cross the picket line to $550 a day, a decision that has further fueled discontent among educators. According to the job listing website EDJOIN, substitutes in the district typically get about $250 a day.
The union has curated a list of local food banks to help families who rely on school meals stay fed, Ortiz said. Union members are also working on potential partnerships with community groups to help provide services during a strike but were unable to provide details during the town hall.