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FREMONT — Teachers demanding better wages and threatening to strike have been common around California districts, but, in a twist, Fremont educators protested by showing up early on Friday.
Teachers joined by some students staged a "walk in" to class this morning at Irvington High School.
Emily, a freshman, said that her teachers deserve a living wage. She singled out one who "is a very good teacher. He teaches us what we really need to know in life and just in general.
"I think he really deserves a bigger salary with all of the things he does," she said.
The sticking point in the union's negotiations with the district is over raises. The union is asking for a 4-percent salary increases while the administration has reportedly offered 0.71 percent. The sides appear to be at an impasse.
Miranda Barrett, an art teacher who was decked out in a pink dinosaur costumes, said that she hopes the good--natured walk-in doesn't eventually become a walk-out.
"We would love to be able to get to the point where we can get back to our classrooms, back to our students and give them all the support that we can, so we can actually have a living wage," she said.
The average salary for a teacher in Fremont is nearly $90,000.
But Victoria Birbeck-Herrera, president of the Fremont Unified District Teachers Association, said that doesn't take into account health care costs which educators here pay out of pocket.
"So when you actually look at Fremont educators as compared to other school districts and you look at amount that we're receiving in total salary as a compensation package, we're on the lower end," said Birbeck-Herrera.
Fremont Unified issued a statement about the walk out saying in part "The district remains optimistic towards finding solutions in our negotiations with the teachers that will benefit all parties."
The union and district are scheduled to meet again next month.