Oakland teachers may be heading to picket lines soon. The teacher’s union announced Saturday their members have voted to authorize a strike, after months without a contract. Oakland teachers spent the day preparing to potentially hit the picket lines after nearly a year without a contract, unsu ccessful negotiation and mediation attempts. Traci Grizzle has taught more than 14 years in the district and says striking isn’t an easy decision but could be necessary. “They need you in your classroom, but you need a student-centered budget. So, you’re torn. You’re in a dilemma. Now you’re having to step outside and fight for something that you shouldn’t have to fight for. It should be provided,” Grizzle said. The Oakland Education Association voted to authorize a strike if the union and Oakland Unified School District cannot come to an agreement. Union leaders say the district only recently offered wage increases and argue low pay is pushing teachers out the district. “And when 400 teachers leave here every year, it costs the district millions of dollars. We believe that it’s important for them to be putting those resources into the classrooms,” President of the Oakland Education Association Kampala Taiz-Rancifer said. After a fact-finding hearing, leaders say some progress has been made, but they’re frustrated to be back at the bargaining table just years after a seven-day strike in 2023 that resulted in a 10% raise. “We are pretty upset by the fact that we have to be here again. Oakland Unified School District should be able to work with their teachers, like professionals, sit down, negotiate a contract. There’s terms on those contracts. They know when they’re going to end,” Taiz-Rancifer said. The union is negotiating for smaller classrooms, more support for special education and higher wages. OEA members say 60% of members can’t afford the average cost of a 1-bedroom apartment, many educators are working two jobs, including Dylan Drewry. “It’s more challenging to really invest my full self into what I really care about, which is education and my students, because of having to work a second job in order to stay in education,” Drewry said. The district explains the fact-finding process just ended and it is working to come to an agreement. The district sent a statement that reads, in part: “The district has been trying to come to terms that honor OUSD educators for the work they do every day in service of our students, while at the same time staying within our means because of the very real financial challenges with which the district is currently contending.” Educators argue the money is there, it just needs to be prioritized and redistributed. “They are investing in the wrong things, like outside contractors, high-level management, high salary management,” Drewry said. ...read more read less