Twin Rivers Unified School District teachers are preparing for their first-ever strike on Thursday, Mar. 5, after months of stalled contract talks over pay, health benefits, and class sizes.
Twin Rivers United Educators (TRUE), which represents teachers, librarians, and counselors, has formally issued a strike notice and says members will walk out if no agreement is reached before Thursday. This would be the first strike in the North Sacramento-area district's history, affecting more than 25,000 students.
Union leaders say roughly 90 to 98 percent of participating members voted to authorize a strike after nearly a year of failed bargaining sessions. The dispute moved through mediation and into fact-finding, and a state-appointed panel released its report this week without bridging the gap between the two sides, according to KCRA.
Salaries and health benefits are at the center of the conflict. The fact-finder recommended a 2.3 percent pay increase for this school year, which is slightly below the district's latest offer of 2.5 percent and far below the union's demand for a 7.5 percent raise. TRUE argues that current compensation makes it hard to recruit and retain staff, pointing to more than 80 vacancies in educator positions.
Health care is another major sticking point. The union wants fully paid health coverage for educators and their families, saying members now pay an average of about 21,000 dollars a year for insurance. The fact-finding report notes that Twin Rivers lags behind nearby districts on benefits, but warns that uncapped, fully paid family coverage could create financial risk for the district.
Read more: San Francisco Teachers Strike Leaves Parents Scrambling for Child Care, Learning Plans, and Answers
Teachers also say they are striking to reduce class sizes and improve student support. TRUE is pushing for "hard caps" on class sizes and minimum staffing for counselors, psychologists, and nurses, arguing that crowded classrooms and thin support services hurt learning and safety, National Today reported.
The union accuses the district of diverting more than 115 million dollars away from classrooms and failing to meet the state's requirement that at least 55 percent of funds go to instruction. District officials dispute that characterization but say they share goals of improving pay and learning conditions while keeping the budget stable.
District leaders say schools will stay open during a strike so students can keep attending classes and receive meals and services. Nearly 90 percent of Twin Rivers students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, making campus access a priority for many families.
The school board has authorized Superintendent Steve Martinez to hire substitutes, offering up to 600 dollars a day and travel reimbursements to staff classrooms. Both the district and TRUE say they remain willing to talk, but neither side has indicated a clear path to a last-minute deal, as per TRUSD.
