Fremont teachers union meets with district leaders as possible strike looms
FREMONT — Fremont teachers rallied outside the Fremont Unified District Teachers Association headquarters Monday afternoon as union representatives met with Fremont Unified School District leaders.
The "fact-finding hearing" and negotiations could determine whether 2,000 instructors go on strike, impacting about 30,000 students.
Fremont Reading Intervention Specialist Elizabeth Katz saID the teachers need more.
"It is very tough to be a teacher," said Katz. "It really is. It's really rewarding, but it's extremely difficult."
Katz saID the difficulties teachers experience get passed down to the students. One thing they're fighting for is a reduced case load and smaller class sizes.
"They're cramming over 30 kids into a room," Katz said. "It's not a conducive way to learn."
The president of the teachers association, Victoria Chon, hopes district leaders will think about the students during negotiations.
"We are fighting for the people that everybody loves most, their own kids, their children," said Chon. "We are here fighting for them to make sure they can get what they deserve so they can be successful. We know that the future is literally in the classroom."
A second issue is health insurance. Katz said currently the district doesn't cover the cost of it.
"For insurance? Over $1,000 a month for the coverage that is provided by the district," said Katz.
Katz said she's fortunate that her husband is financially stable and supportive of her desire to educate, but not all of her colleagues are that lucky, and they have to make choices.
"You're forcing grown people with degrees to get roommates or live super far away and have to commute in," said Katz.
The Teachers' Association is also fighting for raises to keep up with the cost of living.
Katz said some teachers choose to leave the district for others that pay better and cover health insurance.
Katz had to make a hard decision to allow her to continue working her job, moving to Hayward and commuting in rush hour traffic every day. But she said it's the only way she can afford to live on her current salary.
"I grew up in Fremont; I went to Fremont schools, so I would love to live in Fremont again, but I don't have that luxury," said Katz.
CBS Bay Area reached out to the district, they said the hearing and negotiations are still going on, and they will provide an update in the future.
