We voted to STRIKE! What's next?

SDEA members voted to strike. Now we prepare!

SDEA members have spoken loudly and clearly! More than 90% of participating members voted to authorize a one-day Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike if San Diego Unified continues violating our contract on Special Education staffing. After reviewing this overwhelming YES vote, the SDEA Board of Directors has set a strike date: Thursday, February 26! Now, it’s time to make sure we’re ready: Getting the word out, building community support, and making sure every school community is ready for their first strike in decades.

Steps to build momentum:

Now: Start conversations in your community!

As they returned from winter break, elected SDEA site and program leaders got a variety of materials at Rep Council to help facilitate conversations with parents and community members. Check out our updated Community Hub for multilingual family flyers and more resources. The District has also been working hard to tell communities the purpose of our strike and how much they “support” teachers… that’s why it’s even more important that they also hear directly from educators! As educators, you are the ones who parents know and trust, and you are the ones who can share what you are fighting for.

January 24-25: Build Art & Solidarity at an Art Build Weekend

Join fellow educators, families, and community members and a statewide team of artists who will host a weekend of art at the SDEA office! Across the state, other union educators are having similar art builds, like the one in Richmond which helped fuel UTR’s four-day strike (and win!)

• The art build will be going on all weekend, from 10 AM to 6 PM Saturday and 10 AM to 2 PM on Sunday. RSVP here to share when you’ll be there – food will be provided!
• Share widely with your colleagues and community, with this flyer, and by resharing posts on Instagram, Facebook, & BlueSky. 

January 27: Rally at the School Board!

This is our last attempt to get the District to stop understaffing Special Education before our strike! Show up to say: Time’s Up! Respect our students, and respect our contract!

Gather at the San Diego Unified Ed Center (4100 Normal Street) at 4 PM on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.

Spread the word with these posts on Instagram, Facebook, & BlueSky.

February 26: Strike Day!

If the District continues violating our contract, educators will take collective action. 

Your February union meetings will be a chance to discuss lots more information, after site reps get more training and resources to help with the logistics of the day. Make sure to stay plugged in and connected to your site rep and your colleagues!

Keeping our eyes on the road: Two separate paths, one shared goal

Right now, SDEA members are fighting two separate fights:

• We’re demanding that the District respect our current contract. Specifically, after the District violated our contract by ignoring Special Education caseload limits for years (and years of trying to fix this through grievances, bargaining, and conversations) we’re turning up the heat with a one day ULP strike if the District continues to violate our contract.

• We’re also still bargaining for our next contract that meets the needs of students, educators and communities. At the bargaining table, SDEA members continue discussing the details of what should be in our next contract. These negotiations are unrelated to our strike, and are aligned with a statewide fight for better pay, staffing, and stability in California schools, because while we need individual Districts to do the right thing, we also need greater investment in public education at the state and Federal levels.

Both our fights are for a shared goal: What students and educators need! Preparing for a one-day ULP strike allows educators to put focused pressure on the District to do the right thing regarding Special Education staffing now, while our continued bargaining aims to improve pay, benefits, and working conditions to meet the needs of all students and educators. Getting to our destination means making sure we are choosing the right path for the right purpose… and then showing up together in solidarity.