National City school district officials will meet with teachers' union leaders tomorrow morning in an attempt to avert a strike.
Labor leaders had voted to go on strike beginning this Friday. Roughly 350 teachers are gearing up to walk-off of the job.
Negotiations between the union and the district have been at a standstill since last year. At issue is district imposed furlough days, a modified school calendar and larger class sizes.
Both sides have now agreed to meet at the bargaining table with a mediator once again. However labor leaders say the strike will still take place unless there is a signed agreement in pace.
There are 10 campuses in the National School District, with close to 6,000 students.
Top labor leaders had voted unanimously for the strike.
Last year, the district imposed six furlough days, a modified school calendar, and larger class sizes without the union’s consent.
National School District officials say they had to force those contract changes because they’re facing a $3 million budget deficit.
Union leaders say the district can balance its budget without imposing those work conditions.
Union organizers say the strike would take place at the beginning of the school day at each campus on Friday.
The district is expected to respond by tapping into its pool of recently recruited substitute teachers. District officials attracted substitutes by boosting their daily pay rate.
District officials say all schools would be open during a strike. They stress students still have to attend school.
This would be the first teachers' strike in San Diego County in the last 15 years.
