Nearing Agreement

Teachers, Teamsters, and supporters march Dec. 6 outside talks at Alvarado Adult School.

This post was updated in the early afternoon on Sunday to add more information.

Progress was made Saturday in negotiations between WCCUSD and unions representing its nearly 1,500 striking teachers and 1,500 other school workers who went on strike Thursday. Talks will continue today.

The West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) and the United Teachers of Richmond (UTR) both announced that negotiations went long Saturday, that progress was made, and that bargaining would continue today (Dec. 7). The UTR bargaining team worked until almost midnight as they aimed for an agreement acceptable to their members.

The school district issued two news releases on Saturday. It reported that WCCUSD will be meeting with UTR and Teamsters separately today (Dec. 7).

Late Saturday, a district statement said:

“The District met with UTR for nearly seven hours, beginning this afternoon and well into the late evening, and in separate and equally important meetings with Teamsters...We know that our school community is eager to return to normal operations, with our teachers and all employees at work.”

Saturday’s negotiations took place inside Alvarado Adult School in Richmond Annex while at least 300 teachers, Teamsters, parents, students, and community supporters marched along the sidewalks outside, chanting and carrying picket signs. Some brought their partners, children, and pets.

UTR President Francisco Ortiz emailed the community shortly before 1 a.m. today, thanking people for their support.

“We are close,” he wrote. “After two days on strike, the unbreakable solidarity of UTR members and our community has forced a major shift at the bargaining table. Because of the pressure you generated, significant progress was made as our team worked late into the night toward an agreement that breaks the cycle of disinvestment in our students and educators.”

“We will return to the table tomorrow to finish the job.”

“Please know that today’s progress would not have been made without YOU,” Ortiz wrote.

Livable El Cerrito was unable to reach Teamsters 856, which represents about 1,500 classified workers in the district, but sources close to the negotiations said they bargained for an extended time on Saturday.

Marchers on Dec. 6 at Alvarado Adult School.