SFUSD Meets With Unions to Discuss Health and Safety Conditions

San Francisco (January 6, 2022) - The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD)’s bargaining team met with representatives from the International Federation Professional Technical Engineers (IFPTE), Local 21; Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 1021; United Administrators of San Francisco (UASF); United Educators of San Francisco (UESF) today, January 6, 2022, to discuss health and safety conditions. 

SFUSD and the district’s unions have an agreement through July 31, 2022, which is intended to keep all schools and district facilities open for safe, full in-person instruction at all grade levels. In October 2021, the district and union representatives agreed to amend the Health and Safety Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and to further meet and confer on health and safety matters, at either party’s request, by Jan. 7, 2022. On Dec. 29, 2021 a representative from the unions requested to meet.

During the bargaining session today, SFUSD offered an additional five days of COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave for all employees to be taken for COVID-19 related reasons. Last year the state of California provided school districts with additional funding to provide COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave; the state did not continue this funding for the current school year. 

The district also offered to make reasonable best efforts to maintain a sufficient supply of high quality face masks (N95, or KN95, and/or KN94 grade masks) for all employees who wish to use one. This week SFUSD is delivering masks including KN95s, which was agreed to in the current agreement to be used during fire season. 

In addition, SFUSD offered to continue to make weekly COVID-19 testing available to all students and staff at every district site during normal work hours. SFUSD has made reliable testing available to students and staff since last spring.

“It is our number one priority to make sure our students and staff are safe at school,” SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews said. “We are committed to working with labor partners to ensure in-person learning can safely continue.”

Representatives of the district’s unions were not in agreement with the district’s counter proposal. The parties concluded today’s bargaining without an agreement and bargaining will resume next week.

Go here for the full update regarding the proposals.

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