In a predawn agreement, San Francisco teachers call off their 4-day strike, marking the end of the city's first labor dispute in nearly half a century. The teachers' union and the school district reached a tentative deal after an all-night bargaining session, with both sides announcing the two-year agreement near 6 a.m. Students are set to return to classrooms on Wednesday, with schools already closed for Friday and district holidays scheduled for Monday and Tuesday of next week. The biggest sticking points were fully funded dependent healthcare for teachers and salary increases. Teachers won their marquee ask: fully funded dependent healthcare, which one teacher described as 'life changing'. However, the deal comes at the expense of raises, with teachers receiving 5% over two years instead of the 9% the union desired. 'Certificated' staff like paraeducators will get 8.5% over two years, and special education teachers will see some caseload reductions. The union also secured other changes, such as security guards becoming full-time employees. The district had previously made offers contingent on reducing existing benefits, but the final deal pauses teacher sabbaticals for one year. While the union didn't win everything, they expressed hope for a stable district. The strike was San Francisco's first educator walkout since 1979 and was far shorter than the previous 6-week work stoppage. Mayor Daniel Lurie's last-minute plea for more time was only seriously involved days before the teachers walked off the job. The strike had been brewing for months, with both sides formally declaring an impasse on October 10. Negotiations took place at the War Memorial Veterans Building, with educators demonstrating at every school site in the city and holding daily mass rallies. The agreement on the economic package and a new work model for special education teachers was contentious, but once family healthcare was agreed upon, other measures were passed within hours. This developing story will be updated as more information becomes available.
