Dozens of teachers and parents filled a West Sacramento sidewalk Thursday, demanding higher pay and more staff as Washington Unified schools wrestle with rising turnover and empty positions. Their message to district negotiators was blunt: deliver a contract that keeps veteran educators in classrooms and keeps student learning on track.
Pinky Ngo, a 29-year classroom veteran, told KCRA she is still struggling to stay afloat financially and has "had to take on extra work so that I can make ends meet." Teachers at the rally said low wages are pushing colleagues to nearby districts and fueling chronic short staffing across Washington Unified. Organizers framed the action as a way to pressure both sides back to the bargaining table.
Union Demands And Staffing Toll
The West Sacramento Teachers Association, which lists roughly 450 members on its site, is calling for raises and stronger benefits to close a pay gap with neighboring districts. The union has also joined a broader statewide effort to coordinate bargaining leverage, according to campaign materials on We Can't Wait.
Local reporting has detailed how differences in pay and benefits can add up to tens of thousands of dollars in total compensation, a disparity union leaders say is driving departures from Washington Unified. CBS Sacramento has reported on those comparisons and the strain they place on retention.
Mediation And District Response
District officials say they are committed to open, transparent negotiations and to landing a fiscally responsible deal that supports both educators and students. According to its collective bargaining updates, Washington Unified and the union returned to formal mediation on Friday, January 23 with a stated goal of reaching a fair, sustainable agreement. The Washington Unified School District notes that the sessions are confidential but scheduled as part of the formal bargaining process.
Where This Fits In A Statewide Push
West Sacramento’s labor fight is part of a wider coordinated movement among California educator unions pushing for higher wages, smaller classes and fully staffed campuses. EdSource reported last year that the California Teachers Association-backed "We Can't Wait" campaign is aligning dozens of chapters in districts across the state to increase bargaining leverage and draw public attention to staffing shortfalls.
That statewide coordination is increasing pressure on smaller districts like Washington Unified, where budget constraints and local priorities can complicate talks. EdSource has detailed how the campaign is intended to shift bargaining dynamics at the district level.
For now, both sides have told mediators they will return to the table Friday, a meeting that could determine whether West Sacramento avoids further labor actions this winter. Teachers at Thursday’s rally said they will keep pushing until the district offers pay and staffing levels that allow them to stay and teach in the community they serve.
