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The Dublin teachers union made good on its vow to strike Monday morning following multiple rounds of unsuccessful contract bargaining this past weekend with the district negotiators.
Among the aims of Dublin Teachers Association are smaller class sizes as well as the maintenance of a full-time counselor at each elementary school — requests that the district has not fulfilled as part of offering a deal consistent with a third-party panel’s recommendation, including increased compensation.
“The current offer is not student-centered,” said DTA President Brad Dobrzenski during a brief press conference outside Dublin High School Monday.
Dozens of employees paced the parking lot entrances of the high school along Village Parkway, waving signs and shouting chants such as “DTA all the Way.” With them, a couple students rallied in solidarity.
“We hope that this demonstrates our commitment and investment in our students,” Dobrzenski said of the strike in an interview with Pleasanton Weekly.
“A strike is hard, but it’s about putting students in the front with a big statement,” DHS teacher and strike lead at the campus Catie Tombs said.
As students arrived at Dublin High, DTA members alerted them to the ongoing strike with some students immediately departing.
Behind the campus gates, few students were visible as classes continued.
“The District’s current proposal reflects an effort to move toward resolution while still acknowledging the financial realities we face,” assistant superintendent of educational services Matt Campbell said in a statement Sunday announcing that no agreement had been reached.
“Our teachers are essential to our community,” DHS senior Noor Rizvi told the Weekly. “I’m really disappointed to see that the school district is not prioritizing the needs of teachers and by extension, not prioritizing the needs of students.”
