A California school district is giving substitute teachers $500 per day while regular teachers are on strike.
Teachers in Fresno, California, are on strike, and the school district is offering $500 per day to substitute teachers to work during the strike. This payment is higher than the usual daily pay for regular teachers in Fresno and more than double the usual rate for substitute teachers.
The union and the school district are in ongoing negotiations for a new contract, but they haven’t agreed on class sizes, special education workloads, healthcare rules, and pay. Members of the Fresno Teachers Association are seeking salary increases that match inflation and the cost of living, similar to the United Auto Workers who went on strike.
The school district clarified that the extra funding for substitute teacher incentives is sourced from the salaries of striking teachers. Nikki Henry, the Chief Communications Officer for the Fresno Unified School District, explained that this arrangement allows them to sustain the increased pay for substitute teachers for as long as the teachers remain on strike.
Nevertheless, Manuel Bonilla, the President of the Fresno Teachers Association, said if someone takes a teaching job during the strike, it will be seen as going against the striking teachers. Guest teachers, who aren’t part of the association, won’t be banned if they work during the strike, but Bonilla noted that it could strain personal relationships with teachers who are advocating for a fair contract.
