Oakland Teachers OK 3-Year 21.4% Pay Hike

Teachers who walked out of classrooms in a four-week strike over low salaries overwhelmingly ratified a new contract on Friday that will boost wages by at least 21.4% over the next three years.

Classes are expected to return to normal schedules on Monday in the Oakland School District’s 92 schools, ending a strike that affected 51,000 students.

“This is far and away the very best contract Oakland teachers have ever had,” said Connie Peoples, president of the 2,800-member Oakland Education Assn.

“Oakland teachers will not be last anymore,” she said, referring to the expired contract that provided the lowest starting salary for a major California school district, $16,400.

Lopsided Vote

The official vote reported by the union was 1,200 to 64.

District Supt. Joe Coto called the vote “very exciting “ and said the contract is “the first step in a major transformation and reformation” of Oakland schools. He estimated that $2.5 to $4 million for the three-year contract will come at the expense of cutbacks in administration and support personnel.

In addition to granting a series of raises, the agreement promises to boost wages and benefits up to the mean of the top 20 California school districts by June 30, 1988, according to union Executive Director Harold Boyd.

Boyd said that stipulation could result in a “balloon payment” on the final day of the contract. Salary increases “could be as high as 40%” over current levels, he said.

As part of the agreement, teachers have agreed to make up two or three days of lost instructional time during the course of the year, Boyd said.

6% Boost This Year

According to terms of the new agreement, teachers will receive an across-the-board pay hike of 6% for this year. The contract also calls for a 7% hike in salaries during the 1986-87 school year and another 7% jump in the 1987-88 school year.

That would give Oakland teachers a top salary of $36,385, a compounded increase of 21.4% over the current level.

Union leaders wanted an 8% increase a year for three years and had reacted unfavorably to the district’s plan to curb benefits.