West Contra Costa schools land tentative deal with union, ending strike

RICHMOND — Nearly a week into its strike, West Contra Costa educators and staff are preparing to return to the classroom Thursday after landing a tentative agreement on a new contract.

Statements acknowledging the agreement were released early Wednesday by both the United Teachers of Richmond and the West Contra Costa Unified School District. The agreement still needs to be ratified by the union and trustees.

“We are relieved that the strike is over and our students and teachers will be reunited in the classroom on Thursday,” the district said in a statement.

The union, which represents more than 1,400 educators and other education professionals, celebrated the agreement as a win earned through “unbreakable solidarity.”

Thousands of district employees, including workers represented by Teamsters Local 856, walked out of school Dec. 4, demanding a fair contract that included pay raises, improved health care benefits, reduced class sizes and case loads and other workforce and classroom improvements.

“It was our collective power that forced the District back to the table and paved the way for an agreement that lays a foundation for the safe and stable schools our students deserve,” United Teachers of Richmond said in a social media post Wednesday morning.

Key points in the tentative agreement are an 8% raise split over two years, 100% employer paid health care by June 30, 2027, an increase to the salary schedules for special education teachers, retention bonuses, assistance with obtaining permanent residency for international teachers, and commitments to creating safe classroom conditions, Trustee Demetrio Gonzalez-Hoy announced on social media Wednesday.

The district and Teamsters Local 856 had landed on their own tentative agreement over the weekend that included a 7% raise over two years. Given that the unions have a “me too” clause, they’re entitled to the same percent of salary increases that are offered to other unions.