West Contra Costa Unified teachers overwhelmingly vote to authorize strike

An overwhelming majority of West Contra Costa Unified teachers and other school workers voted last week to authorize a strike after monthslong contract talks between the district and the teachers union, United Teachers of Richmond, came to a halt.

United Teachers of Richmond has about 1,700 members and represents counselors, school psychologists, nurses, librarians, speech-language pathologists and program specialists in addition to teachers.

More than 90% of the union’s members participated in the vote last week, with 97.3% voting in favor of authorizing the strike.

West Contra Costa Unified’s negotiation team declared an impasse on Nov. 17, which means they will seek third-party mediation. If the district and the union can’t reach a settlement with the help of the mediator, they will enter the fact-finding process for a resolution. After that, if United Teachers Of Richmond’s negotiation team still doesn’t see the district moving toward a satisfactory settlement, they can call for a strike.