SCTA leadership strategize.

What can you do when a superintendent reneges on a signed contract? …when 10,000 students are without teachers? …when a meddling mayor, an incompetent superintendent and an obstructionist school board are not on your side?

“What Can You Do?,” a new video, tells the story of Sacramento City Teachers Association (SCTA) educators’ six-year struggle from 2017 to 2022 to organize and win the support of the community, and build a stronger, more unified union. The lessons learned can help other unions and their supporters in their struggle.

After years of disrespect, S SCTA leadership strategize. CTA members went on an 8-day strike in 2022.

While the Sacramento City Unified School District superintendent and school board forecast huge budget deficits year after year and refused to fund essential school services and educator salaries, at the end of each year there was always a big surplus as the district sat on healthy reserves. SCTA managed to flip a crucial board seat, but most of the board still supported the superintendent.

In 2022, SCTA and community and labor allies went on an eight-day strike, including a high-profile, parent-led sit-in at district headquarters as they waited for the board to come to the bargaining table. Finally, SCTA reached a favorable agreement that gave students and educators the resources and support they deserved.

But SCTA wasn’t done: In 2022, the local’s members and allies knocked on 44,000 doors and wrote thousands of letters in a campaign for a new school board. SCTA-backed candidates ended up sweeping the election, leading to the superintendent’s resignation.

Watch the video here.