On the cusp of Monday’s planned San Francisco teacher work stoppage, teachers were jolted to receive emails from the district telling them they had work to do.
On Friday evening, the San Francisco Unified School District emailed its 6,000-plus teachers, providing them information that they already knew — schools are closed Monday due to the overwhelming possibility of the first San Francisco teacher walkout in 47 years. The email informed teachers — who voted at a 97.6 percent clip to authorize Monday’s walkout — that they were receiving “redeployment assignments” to “Staff Centers” on Monday.
“In order to maintain District operations, we are opening Staff Centers where SFUSD employees should report to work,” the email states. “Staff are expected to work and report to their assigned Staff Center.”
In addition to teachers, SEIU-represented district workers and school principals and administrators represented by the United Administrators of San Francisco also received “redeployments” to staff centers. The principals and administrators union on Friday announced its members had overwhelmingly voted to engage in a “sympathy strike” on Monday, as did the SEIU-represented custodians and other school employees.
“Staff were given work assignments to ensure that anyone who reports to work during a strike has a designated location and can support with district operations,” reads a statement from the district.
The district cannot mandate striking workers report to the job. It is, however, bound to provide work opportunities for employees unwilling to abide by a strike — though it is unclear why those opportunities couldn’t be working from home or at a neutral site.
On text and WhatsApp chains, teachers alleged that this move was intended to mobilize the minority of unionized educators who do not favor striking, and undermine the work stoppage. But that’s puzzling, considering such teachers weren’t simply allowed to work from home — and were instead directed into possible confrontations with their colleagues at school sites that will be heavily picketed.
“I don’t understand this redeployment plan,” said Anna Klafter, the president of the principals and administrators union. “If someone did want to report to work, a 300-person picket line at Lowell High School will probably give them pause.”
Mission Local is informed that the district has stood up eight sites as “Staff Centers”: A.P. Giannini Middle School, Hoover Middle School, Lowell High, Marina Middle School, Burton High, Roosevelt Middle School and the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts. District employees were assigned to one of the eight sites based upon its proximity to their home.
It is uncertain what work is expected to be undertaken at these sites, and who will cross a picket line to do it.
The move has confused and annoyed the teachers union and others, which are puzzled by both the motivation and execution of this redeployment plan.
Cassondra Curiel, the president of the teachers union, accused the district of wasting time on the cusp of a potentially bruising and costly strike: “Instead of spending time redeploying district staff to hubs on Monday, we’d love to see the district put all their efforts into making a proposal that meets our students’ and communities’ needs.”
The message to district employees urged them to take public transportation to the “Staff Center,” for check in at 7:30 a.m. on Monday. “HR staff will be stationed at the entrance to check you in upon arrival. Checking in with HR at your assigned Staff Center will be necessary to ensure accurate pay. Current work hours are in effect.”
The district employees were reminded to “bring your laptop, a charger and any other electronic devices or supplies you require to perform your job functions. Printers will not be available for staff use.” No family members or pets are permitted. “Please be mindful that we will be guests in our colleagues’ classrooms and spaces.”
Construction work is ongoing at a number of school sites and, under the district’s project labor agreement, private sector construction unions are obligated to keep working through the strike. But individual private sector workers are entitled to refuse to cross a picket line.
Mission Local has spoken to a number of district employees from several unions and reviewed a number of text and WhatsApp chains. All of them were confused by the district’s move, and many were insulted. None planned to cross the picket line to attend.
“It is absolutely embarrassing,” said one school principal. “I am embarrassed on their behalf.”
