Petaluma teachers on one-day strike

The union representing teachers and other employees in Petaluma City Schools are protesting what they say is the school district’s unfair labor practices.|

Petaluma teachers on Wednesday staged the first work stoppage since the employees unionized in 1969. The Petaluma Federation of Teachers held the one-day strike to protest what they say is the Petaluma City Schools District’s unfair labor practices.

Teachers in the district’s 18 schools demonstrated and carried signs outside campuses across Petaluma on Wednesday. They were joined by some parents and students. Schools remained open with light attendance and substitutes filling in for some of the 360 permanent teachers the union represents.

Teachers in Petaluma have been without a contract for nearly a year, and attempts at negotiations have stalled. The district’s latest offer, which included a 2 percent raise for teachers, was rejected on Monday, and future negotiations have not been scheduled, according to Sandra Larsen, president of the union.

She said the strike was not about money, but about the tone of the negotiations, which she said have been conducted in bad faith on the district’s part. The union has filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the district, alleging that the district threatened to write reports about teachers who engage in union actions.

“The goal is to get the district to treat us with respect,” Larsen said as she participated in a rally at Petaluma High School before marching to the district offices. “They need to follow established labor law. This is definitely more than money.”

Gary Callahan, district superintendent, said that the district would like to increase teacher pay but is hamstrung by rising pension costs. He said that the alleged unfair labor practices were baseless.

“The district is disappointed with the unsubstantiated claims of unfair labor practices,” he said in a statement. “In core communications with teachers, parents and the community we have reiterated the desire to work with our stakeholder groups to lobby Sacramento and address the funding inequities that educators face when trying to work and live in communities like Petaluma.”

At Mary Collins School at Cherry Valley on Wednesday morning, several dozen parents and teachers paced in front of the campus with signs reading “Petaluma teachers deserve dignity and respect,” and “We support our teachers.”

Carrie Caudle, a Cherry Valley teacher and union leader, said she hoped the one-day action would send a message to the district about negotiating in good faith.

“We’re hoping the district will take a good hard look at the manner in which the district treats teachers, specifically at the bargaining table,” she said. “They need to show teachers the respect they deserve.”

(Contact Matt Brown at matt.brown@arguscourier.com.)

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