San Francisco teachers' union says walkout possible if safe working conditions not met

SAN FRANCISCO - The teachers union in San Francisco is demanding decisive action from the school district to handle the threat the omicron variant poses. There's a looming threat that educators may walk off the job if safe working conditions are not met.

Educators are saying this crisis at the schools with almost 20% of teachers calling in sick and a substitute shortage, was entirely predictable. They say they want short and long term plans in place to handle COVID.

Just three days back from the winter break and San Francisco schools are already feeling the impact of the highly contagious omicron variant, with 693 educators out on Wednesday. Now the teachers union is saying conditions are deteriorating, and they're worried about classroom safety.

School board president Gabriela López said on Wednesday that the district needs to pull out all the stops to prevent schools from closing down. "What we are trying to do is trying to prevent a complete shuttering of schools if we do not have the staff because people couldn't ensure their safety and that of their families."

Labor leaders say the district failed to plan appropriately for the return to class, putting teachers, students and their families at risk. 

If the schools are unsafe, labor leaders are saying everything is on the table, including the possibility of a walkout. "Absolutely, if safe working conditions are not met then it's very possible that people are working in conditions that are unsafe, and that is not okay," said UESF President Cassondra Curiel

Union leaders say the district still does not have a testing plan in place, and lagged behind other districts in organizing efforts to obtain and distribute COVID tests ahead of the return to school. By comparison Oakland Unified School District sent 41,00 at-home COVID tests at the end of December and encouraged students to get tested before returning to in-person class. 

The state has now sent 112,000 tests to San Francisco, and parent groups say they received word the district will be distributing those tests Thursday. "We just spoke with the district yesterday, and there's a moving company that's now been contracted," said Meredith Dodson from San Francisco Parent Coalition. "To get every single test from the warehouse where they'll be delivered from the state, to the class, to the schools and then distributed to each kid"

SEE ALSO: Demand for COVID testing grows as Bay Area returns from holiday break

Another charge from San Francisco educators has to do with what happens once the tests are distributed. "Unlike neighboring districts and other large districts around the country, SFUSD is not requiring a negative test for adults or children," said Curiel.

She says the district needs a written plan for dealing with adults and students who become infected, including a test-to-stay protocol. 

School Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews released a statement reading in part, "as we returned from winter break this week, we encouraged testing, set up new testing sites and sent out information about numerous ways to get tested prior to school reopening. Throughout this week and this weekend we are making rapid testing available at several schools and district headquarters."

But those efforts may not be enough, with word that some educators may stage a sick-out Thursday over health and safety concerns. "All I know is that some rank and file members have been passing around a petition," said Curiel. "That's what I know. I know members feel desperate and I don't blame them at all."

Labor leaders are set to meet with district officials Thursday, and say they want to see some definitive plans in place distribute masks, make testing available for everyone at the schools and to cover COVID sick time, so workers don't feel compelled to come to work sick.

The district says it sent 164 substitutes out to schools in the city, the remainder of the school sites had to cover the rest, the district  says that usually means that someone who is a credentialed teacher who would normally be working on teacher support and coaching steps in to cover.