South Bay Union teachers vote to strike

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After years of stalled negotiations, South Bay Union teachers voted Thursday to authorize a strike.

Board members will meet Thursday night to consider an emergency resolution in case staff refuses to work. Higher pay rates for the district’s substitute staff, including teachers, bus drivers and custodians, is also on the agenda.  

The district and its teachers have yet to reach an agreement on new terms after negotiating for nearly three years. Teachers are asking for better pay and classroom conditions, but school officials have said it’s not financially feasible.

After more than a decade of steep enrollment declines, South Bay Union is also set to close three campuses. Its nearly $115 million budget faces a roughly $27 million shortfall and the district is projected to operate its remaining schools in a deficit until at least mid-2028, according to financial records released last month.

Ninety-eight percent of teachers voted in favor of the strike.

This story is developing.

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