Double-digit salary increases for San Francisco educators proposed under contract terms agreed to over the weekend are among the highest being offered in the state, union and school district officials said a day after the two sides signed off on a tentative agreement.
If approved by the 6,200 members of the United Educators of San Francisco, the city’s school workforce of teachers, early childhood educators, librarians, nurses, classroom assistants and social workers would receive an 11 percent raise over three years, in addition to annual bonuses.
The overall compensation package would grow to 16 percent pending passage of a parcel tax that many city leaders hope to place on the ballot next year.
“To date right now, this is the highest compensation package of any school district in California, and lots are in negotiation right now,” said Susan Solomon, executive vice president of the San Francisco teachers union.
Teachers in the city receive average salaries of less than $70,000, while classroom aides represented by the union earn average salaries as low as $30,000 a year. The new proposed package is similar to what San Francisco educators received three years ago, but it appears to be a standout compared with other public school contracts throughout the state.
Recent contract agreements in San Bruno, Santa Rosa and Hemet (Riverside County) provided teachers with no more than 3 percent raises, in addition to one-time bonuses — overall a far skimpier package than what San Francisco teachers are now being offered.
“Up and and down the state in California, the most anyone has gotten this past year is 4 percent,” said union President Lita Blanc, with as little as 1 percent raises in cities such as Berkeley.
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