San Francisco Teachers

Some 6,000 public schoolteachers in San Francisco have gone on strike for the first time in nearly 50 years. They are demanding higher wages, better health benefits and more resources for special needs students. The San Francisco Unified School District closed all 120 of its schools Monday and offered independent study to some of the district’s 50,000 students. The union is asking for a 9% raise over two years. The district is facing a $100 million deficit and countered with a 6% increase over three years. Negotiations have been ongoing for nearly a year without reaching a new contract.