Union City teachers approve contract, return to classrooms

UNION CITY, Calif. (AP) — Hundreds of teachers have returned to classes Monday after voting to approve a new salary contract offered by the New Haven Unified School District in Union City, ending a 14-day strike.

The East Bay Times reports 60 percent of the New Haven Teachers Association’s members voted Sunday to approve the deal that gives teachers a 4 percent raise over the next two years.

Teachers will also get a one-time bonus of 2.5 percent for this school year. Teachers also could get an additional 1 percent raise if the district receives more state funding than projected in the coming school year.

Union president Joe Ku’e says the agreement “wasn’t everything teachers wanted.” But he adds that it forced district managers to prioritize retaining teachers and working on lowering class size.

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Information from: East Bay Times, http://www.eastbaytimes.com