Contact: Chelsea Fink, Chelsea.Fink@seiu1021.org, (510) 435-8282

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -  On Tuesday, October 17, the SEIU 1021 San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) bargaining team reached a tentative agreement with management on a new three-year contract. After four years without a raise, a year of bargaining, and a 99.7% ‘yes’ strike vote, the hard work of the bargaining team and committed members turning out for actions and attending open bargaining sessions paid off with the strongest agreement SFUSD classified workers have seen.

To go into effect, chapter members will need to vote to ratify the tentative agreement. If ratified, SFUSD classified workers will see a 16% raise upon ratification, which includes retro pay of 6% back to July 1, 2022, and an additional 10% retroactively to July 1, 2023, as well as improvements in health and safety protections for workers and a seat at the table as the District plans for the construction of affordable housing units for employees. In recognition of the hardship experienced by all SEIU 1021 members from the ongoing payroll debacle with the EMPowerSF system, workers will also receive a $1,500 one-time bonus at ratification.

Currently, SFUSD classified employees make roughly 16% to 25% less than their counterparts employed by the City in the same job classification. Bargaining team members are optimistic that this new contract, with the largest raise they have ever seen and other scheduling improvements, will help mitigate the understaffing and burnout plaguing the district. 

‘’This historic raise ensures our chapter members are on a path to a brighter future thanks to fair wages, job protection, and language to protect us from being exploited or abused on the job,” said Antonaé Robertson, a senior clerk with SFUSD and an SEIU 1021 Chapter Vice President. “This contract reflects working together to forge a path where loyalty and dedication to our schools and communities are recognized and where the strength of unity propels us toward liberation. These gains leave an indelible mark on our chapter’s legacy, paving the way for a better tomorrow at SFUSD.”
 

“Thanks to the hard work of the bargaining team and the support of our members and community, our members will receive a decent raise, improved health and safety protections, and proposed affordable housing for workers,” said SEIU 1021 SFUSD Chapter President Rafael Picazo. ”Even though the district made an agreement with us, we still stand with our brothers and sisters in UESF and Common Crafts Union. If they strike, we will honor their strike and not cross any picket line. ”
 

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