Sonoma teachers sanction strike

A teachers strike could be coming to the Valley of the Moon, in Sonoma County, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported.

More than 95% of the members of Valley of the Moon Teachers Association voted on Tuesday to strike, if needed, after impasse mediation over salary negotiations with Sonoma Valley Union School District was unsuccessful, the newspaper reported.

“With a catastrophic teacher shortage facing our profession and after two horrific years of pandemic that were met with sacrifice and flexibility, the district’s actions toward teachers are unnecessary and disrespectful,” Bernadette Weissman, VMTA bargaining chair and a history teacher at Sonoma Valley High School, said in a statement, according to the newspaper.

The union and SVUSD have been some $2.9 million apart as they negotiate increasing teacher salaries and benefits for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic years.