The teachers are ready to strike.

The Santa Barbara Unified School District and the Santa Barbara Teachers Association have entered what will likely be one of the most tumultuous weeks in district history.

The teachers have planned two days of picketing, another strong turnout at the school board meeting Tuesday night, and all of it is leading up to the final hearing Wednesday to decide on a final contract. The next day is graduation for three district high schools.

The union wants a 15% salary increase next year and 8% the following year. The district has offered 9% next year and 4% the following year. In a pre-strike authorization vote, 95% of teachers voted, and 98% voted to strike if the district does not agree to the contract.

For nearly a year, teachers, students and activists have been filling the school board room during Tuesday meetings, pouring their hearts out, asking the board and the district to pay teachers fairly. The effort has spilled out into the community.

The Teachers Association has distributed nearly 800 lawn signs to community members and 140 businesses are also displaying signs supporting the educators. That kind of response is bigger than local political campaigns.

“I would not call it a public relations campaign – anyone can do that,” said Hozby Galindo, president of the Santa Barbara Teachers Assocation. “These are real relationships with members of the public. Each one of those signs, everyone one of those signs, those are connections between an SBTA member and a community member.”

Galindo told Noozhawk that students, parents, educators and the community have been hit with challenges such as the pandemic, historic inflation, and high housing costs.

“We all share in these struggles, but also in the healing of our community,” Galindo said. “Despite these challenges, our community and educators have a common desire to help our children. Our common goals are the glue that binds us together.”

As it stands now, an independent party is scheduled to hold a hearing on June 12 at the district headquarters. The district and the union will present their sides, and the third party is likely to try to force mediation and an agreement that day.

It is unclear how long that process would take, but that it would take several hours, possibly overnight.

If an agreement cannot be reached, the third party would issue a report within 20 days, and then the district would have another 10 days to make the report public.

At that point, the Teachers Association could decide whether to call a strike.

Since the school year ends Thursday, if a deal is not reached on Wednesday or afterward, a strike could begin when the school year starts in August.

Both Sides Open to Finding Agreement

Superintendent Hilda Maldonado, who joined the district in July 2020, told Noozhawk that she “loves the community’s outpouring of support” for the teachers.

“I am also very proud of all the accomplishments that teachers, staff, and students have achieved this school year, and we agree that they should be well compensated,” Maldonado said. “That is why we are working hard to stretch the budget to nearly double the healthcare contribution and have offered a salary increase of 13% over two years.”

She said the outpouring of support for the teachers “is what makes our community so special.”

Galindo said there is the potential to settle on Wednesday, but the district must come prepared to negotiate.

“SBTA has come prepared to bargain in good faith and is willing to settle,” Galindo said. “However, it takes two willing parties to reach a settlement. Third, the stall tactics that the district has used this school year has angered, mobilized and helped to unite our educators.  Educators feel disrespected by these tactics.”

He said trust issues remain.

“The district is making the healing process much harder for us to achieve,” Galindo said.  Healing is needed in order to build the trust that is necessary for us to work together for the benefit of all, especially students. ” 

Maldonado told Noozhawk that she remains optimistic.

“I understand their actions and am optimistic we can find a solution that will keep our schools open for our students,” Maldonado said.