Oakland school district officials and teachers said late Wednesday that bargaining talks have stalled and that a strike will take place Thursday.
The impasse came “after seven long days and nights of bargaining,” Oakland Unified School District officials said in announcement about 9 p.m. Wednesday.
The teachers union, the Oakland Education Association, also confirmed on its website that the strike was on for Thursday. Representatives could not immediately be reached for comment.
The district, which serves more than 34,000 students, said it could not predict how long the strike would last, but that OUSD officials would continue to negotiate with the teachers union.
“The end of the school year is always filled with milestone events for our students, so we want to ensure regular school resumes as soon as possible,” according to the district.
Schools will be open, but it won’t be a typical school day since teachers will be on strike and not in classrooms. Central office staff have been assigned to serve at schools to ensure students are safe, the district said.
“Please be aware of communication coming from your school and principal this evening and tomorrow, as they will be providing specific site instructions,” the district said in its announcement of the strike late Wednesday.
Earlier this week, the district was proposing that every teacher get a raise of at least 13 percent and as much as 22 percent.
The union represents nearly 3,000 teachers, counselors, nurses, psychologists, librarians, speech pathologists, social workers and teacher substitutes.
Teachers say the strike is not just about compensation, pointing to a need for safer facilities and classroom renovations.