West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) and the United Teachers of Richmond (UTR) announced they’ve reached a tentative deal to end the teachers strike, with key issues like pay and benefits moving closer to resolution.
Full details haven’t been released yet, and the agreement still needs approval from union members and the school board before it becomes final.
Schools are open today, Wednesday, Dec. 10, and classes will fully resume Thursday, Dec. 11.
The UTR reports that the tentative agreement includes an 8 percent wage increase over two years, fully paid family healthcare by mid-2027, improved pay and hiring of permanent SPED teachers, retention bonuses for new and SPED educators, a 25-student cap for International Academy classes, and protections and pathways to residency for international teachers. It also includes commitments to safer, adequately conditioned classrooms.
“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 UTR stated online, “Through our unbreakable solidarity, we forced WCCUSD to FIGURE IT OUT! 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.”
