Dublin Teachers Plan Strike Starting Monday

DUBLIN, CA — The Dublin Teachers Association announced its intention to strike Monday following a continued impasse in collective bargaining. Schools will remain open and staffed by administrators and guest teachers even in the event of a strike, the district said.

“DTA has called a strike. We are willing to fight for the class sizes and counselors our students deserve! It is up to management to come back to the table with a student-centered offer. No more excuses. Our students deserve solutions,” the union, which represents roughly 700 educators across the district, said in an Instagram post Thursday. DTA said that the district has through the weekend to reach an agreement and avert the strike.

The district and union are expected to meet at 3:30 p.m. Friday for another bargaining session, according to reports from KTVU and NBC Bay Area. DUSD spokesperson Chip Dehnert said that the district would release a full statement in response to the potential strike later Friday.

The district and union have been negotiating since September on a number of contentious topics, including teacher pay, benefits, class sizes, and school counselors. The union is requesting a 3.5% salary increase and full employer-paid coverage for individual employees. They are also seeking a full-time counselor at all elementary schools, a cap of transitional kindergarten classes at 20 students, and either smaller classes or overage pay.

On Thursday, DUSD said that it had accepted the recommendations of an independent fact finding panel, comprising a district rep, a union rep, and a neutral chairperson appointed by the state. The district presented an offer for:

• A one-time payment equal to 1% of their current base salary.
• A 2.1% ongoing pay increase effective July 1, 2025.
• The district’s maximum contribution toward health care premiums will increase yearly, and reach 100% of Kaiser Single premiums effective Jan. 1, 2028.
• A committee will identify funding sources and priorities for reducing class size. If class size is not reduced by any category by the beginning of the 2027-28 school year, overage pay will be increased by 2 percent.

“They offered us cuts. We said no,” DTA responded on Instagram. “DUSD’s proposal ignores class sizes and offers zero support for special education students. This is what they don’t want Dublin families to know. We never walked away from the table - management never came to the table with a fair contract.”

If the strike proceeds, all schools will be open, meals will be provided, and all sites will be fully staffed with administrators and qualified guest teachers, the district said on an FAQ website devoted to questions regarding the strike. Schools will be open only in the mornings, and supervised instruction will be provided through “comprehensive grade-level packets and digital resources like i-Ready, IXL, and Khan Academy.” No new material will be taught.

All extracurricular activities, including athletic and field trips, will still take place. Coaches participating in the strike cannot coach, and assistant coaches or administrative coverage will be provided.

The district also said it anticipates an “active and vocal presence by the DTA at each school site.”

SEE ALSO:

• Dublin Teachers Vote To Authorize Strike Over Stalled Negotiations