Tentative agreement reached to end West Contra Costa teachers strike

RICHMOND, Calif. (KGO) -- The West Contra Costa County teacher strike is now officially over.

After a marathon 12-hour negotiation session, the teachers' union and the school district reached a tentative agreement at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.

"I'm really looking forward to greeting my students again," said Belinda Roddie, an English teacher.

Teachers like Belinda Roddie woke up to the news.

"I am so impressed with everyone who came to the picket line, our bargaining team for working for just hours until the early morning," said Roddie. "It is not everything we needed, but it is such a massive improvement from the initial proposal we were offered from the district.

The agreement came after a four-day strike and 10 months of bargaining.

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The teachers' union said that more than 98% of its members had authorized the strike and have been on the picket lines. That's about 1,500 teachers across 56 schools.

The teachers were demanding a 10% pay increase over two years and better benefits. They also have concerns over staffing.

Now, the California Teachers Association says that the new tentative agreement includes raises that total 8% over two years.

There are additional wage increases for special education teachers and hiring bonuses.

There's also an increase to a 100% employer-paid family health care benefit that would take effect by June 30 in 2027.

Also in the deal are protections for international teachers, including a pathway to permanent residency for educators who are able to get clear credentials.

Under the new tentative agreement, International Academy Class sizes would also be capped at 25, and the District's commitment to safer classrooms.

Parents and grandparents ABC7 News spoke with at Wednesday morning drop-off welcomed the news that the tentative agreement had been reached.

"I am very happy. I think they need to. I love our teachers," said one student's grandmother.

"You got to make a living, changes are coming - financial for everybody, it's a hardship for everybody," said one father.

Next up, the teacher's union and the school board will both vote ratify the agreement.

For now, Roddie hopes the students can take something positive away from the strike.

"We have demonstrated to our students that when you come together for a common cause and you fight for people you care about, you will see positive change," said Roddie.

Because negotiations went so far into the morning, classes won't be back to normal until Thursday.