San Francisco Teachers Poised to Strike Over Health Care Costs

Union and district officials fail to reach agreement on raises and benefits before Monday's planned walkout.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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Contract negotiations between the San Francisco Unified School District and the United Educators of San Francisco union have stalled, with no additional talks scheduled before a planned teacher strike on Monday. The main sticking points are raises and health care benefits, with the union demanding fully funded family health coverage while the district has offered an annual health benefit allowance. The district is also facing budget deficits and state fiscal oversight, complicating the negotiations.

Why it matters

This potential strike highlights the ongoing tensions between teachers' demands for better pay and benefits and the financial challenges facing urban school districts. The outcome could set a precedent for teacher contract negotiations in other California districts as they grapple with rising health care costs and tight budgets.

The details

After contract talks failed to produce an agreement on Saturday, San Francisco teachers are poised to go on strike on Monday if a deal is not reached. The main unresolved issues are teacher raises and health care benefits. The union is demanding fully funded family health coverage, while the district has offered an annual health benefit allowance of $24,000 per year to cover an employee plus one dependent. The district currently covers employee health care but not family coverage, which can cost up to $1,200 per month. The district is also facing budget deficits and state fiscal oversight, limiting its ability to meet the union's demands.

  • Contract talks started at 2 p.m. on Saturday and ended at 9:45 p.m. the same day.
  • Schools will be closed on Monday if no deal is reached by then.

The players

United Educators of San Francisco

The union representing San Francisco teachers, which is demanding fully funded family health coverage as part of a new contract.

San Francisco Unified School District

The school district that is negotiating with the teachers' union, offering an annual health benefit allowance but facing budget deficits and state fiscal oversight that limit its ability to meet the union's demands.

Cassondra Curiel

President of the United Educators of San Francisco, who stated that fully funded family healthcare is crucial to keeping excellent educators in the district.

Maria Su

Superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District, who expressed frustration that an agreement was not reached and said the district's team was ready to negotiate further on Sunday.

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What they’re saying

“Fully funded family healthcare is crucial to keeping our excellent educators in the district — and our special education programs and workloads need to reflect the diverse needs of our students.”

— Cassondra Curiel, President, United Educators of San Francisco (San Francisco Chronicle)

“The SFUSD bargaining team continued to provide additional creative solutions that directly respond to UESF's stated priorities, and are based on the recent neutral fact-finding report.”

— Maria Su, Superintendent, San Francisco Unified School District (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.