California teachers unions consider strikes amid ongoing contract disputes

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Ed Source

Diana Lambert

Published December 15, 2025

From Los Angeles to Sacramento, teachers unions, many fueled by the “We Can’t Wait” campaign organized by the California Teachers Association and a slew of contract renewals, are rallying for higher pay, better benefits, smaller class sizes and other classroom improvements. Some are threatening to strike.

In the West Contra Costa Unified School District, the call for improved pay and benefits, and classroom improvements, resulted in a six-day strike by the district’s 1,450 teachers that ended earlier this month. The teachers won an 8% pay raise over two years and will no longer have to pay health premiums.

The strike is emboldening other teachers unions that are at an impasse with their districts over contract negotiations.

“We are leading a historic wave of resistance to demand safe staffing, affordable health care and student-centered budgets, and local chapters are organizing to strike if needed,” said David Goldberg, president of the California Teachers Association (CTA). “Richmond showed us exactly what is possible: When we stand up for what schools educators and students deserve, we can transform public education.”


West Contra Costa Unified educators and supporters picket outside El Cerrito High School on Dec. 4, 2025.
Credit: Michelle Quinn / EdSource

Read more: https://edsource.org/2025/california-teachers-unions-strike/747044

[BigmanPigman]

1. I was the union rep at my school site

and my experience has been over 15 years. It's so difficult to get teachers to strike. It pissed me off a lot. Many of them said they "couldn't do that to the poor children", etc.

The strike I remember was ended when the local TV news ran a true story about a high school student dressed in a tie and jacket and the district said he could be a substitute teacher during the strike! The strike ended soon after that.