SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – Amid conversations of a strike in Oakland, a new bill out of Southern California is pushing for school districts to give teachers a 50% raise statewide.
Al Muratsuchi, the lawmaker who proposed Assembly Bill 938, believes the move will attract more young people to the profession, aiding the ongoing teacher shortage.
"We need to close this wage gap to get more young people to aspire to become educators," he encouraged.
Teaching is cited as emotionally satisfying work, but as a means for making a living, teacher pay is notoriously low. Muratsuchi said many college graduates see this as a difficult hurdle to overcome.
"Nearly two thirds of young adults recently surveyed cite pay as one of the top three reasons why they are not interested," he said.
Bill 938 requires the raises to be in place by 2030. It also mandates regular reporting by local school districts, showing they're on track to meet the goal.
In Oakland, similar conversations are brewing following a seven-month negotiation period between Oakland teachers and the Oakland Unified School District.
On Tuesday, 88% of teachers voted to authorize a strike, but any labor action was put on hold after the school district filed an injunction to prevent a walkout. Wednesday, the state board ruled against the district, clearing the way for Oakland public educators to strike.
The teachers union wants higher pay, more counselors, social workers and smaller classes. No strike has yet been announced, but the union said it will do so if the district doesn't bargain fairly.
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