In an escalating labor dispute reminiscent of David versus Goliath, a brigade of trade union workers tasked with maintaining the integrity of San Francisco's educational institutions are laying down their wrenches and hammers to strike back against what they claim is the city's goliath-sized failure to honor their sweat equity. This upcoming Monday, about 80 skilled tradespeople belonging to the Common Crafts—an amalgamation of plumbers, carpenters, roofers, and other essential cogs in the school district's maintenance machinery—plan a one-day strike that’s set to rattle the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to its very foundations.
The striking workforce, as per the details shared by the San Francisco Standard, intend to form picket lines outside SFUSD offices come 6 a.m. Before the sun sets on their day of protest, these workers will march from the maintenance yards at 801 and 834 Toland Street towards the district headquarters to amplify their grievances. It's not merely about the overdue wages—it's a fight for respect, recognition, and the right to a fair day's pay for a hard day's work.
These grievances stem from a labor dispute starting two years ago, "Common Crafts members will lay down their tools and take to the picket line Monday morning to voice their exasperation with a school district that has continually violated state labor law in its recent dealings with them," as described in a statement that revealed the deep-seated frustration simmering among the workforce. The declaration, which was reported by both the San Francisco Standard and SFGate, outlines unresolved issues dating back to an agreement seemingly betrayed, if the October 2021 labor agreement can indeed speak from the grave of paper trails and broken promises.
The district, meanwhile, has maintained radio silence on the looming strike. Hong Mei, the district's head of communications and external affairs, did not immediately respond to a request for comment—perhaps indicative of the chasm that divides the school district's higher echelons from the foundation of labor that supports them. This silence continues even as educators within the same district were granted a raise, a juxtaposition that may not sit well with the workers who keep the school's heart beating and roofs from leaking. This factored in the SFUSD's recent tentative agreement to raise teachers' salaries, a detail that was highlighted by the San Francisco Standard.
