DUBLIN — Hundreds of teachers in Dublin will hit the picket lines Monday morning to protest budget cuts and layoffs proposed throughout the district.
The strike follows months of contentious arguments between the Dublin Teachers Association and Dublin Unified School District officials over contract negotiations and dozens of proposed cuts to teacher positions. The union, whose last contract expired in June 2025, announced the strike Thursday evening.
“It’s time for Dublin Unified to reprioritize the budget, support Dublin kids and start putting our students at the center of every financial decision they make,” union President Brad Dobrzenski said in a statement. “If Superintendent (Chris) Funk and the school board won’t commit to the best for Dublin students, DTA will go on strike Monday, March 9, until Dublin Unified provides the resources all Dublin students deserve.”
The union for weeks had demanded the immediate resignation and replacement of Funk, who is expected to retire in June. The district announced Matt Campbell, the district’s current assistant superintendent of educational services, as Funk’s replacement in February.
Funk did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
Facing a budget deficit of $8.4 million, the district’s Board of Trustees is deciding whether to trim $5 million by eliminating another 30 full-time teaching and 12 substitute jobs after previously approving $6.8 million in budget cuts and the elimination of several other positions at its Jan. 27 meeting.
Working without a raise for the last two years, union officials are asking for a salary increase for all members, fully covered health care and a reduction in class sizes.
Most schools during the strike, except Dublin High School and Emerald High School, will operate on adjusted or shortened schedules, according to the district’s website. Schools will not introduce “new content,” the district wrote, but said students would “remain productive using comprehensive grade-level packets and digital resources” while teachers are on the picket lines.
The district will also employ “qualified guest teachers” at all sites using “detailed lesson plans and scripted directions to guide students through their daily assignments,” the district wrote.
Union officials have raised concerns for months about over-crowded classrooms and overworked teachers while the school board has debated how many teaching positions to cut and how to reduce millions from the district’s budget. Since January, the union has voiced their lack of confidence in Funk
District officials have cited declining enrollment and budget shortfalls for the school system’s financial problems, while union officials have blamed leadership and alleged accounting failures of Funk.
While the district claims there is no wiggle room in the budget to save jobs, the union maintains that there is more money to go around than the district admits.
It is unclear how long the union plans to strike, but Dobrzenski said his members are prepared to avoid a strike if the district presents a more agreeable offer for a new contract that would avoid more cuts and reduce class sizes for teachers.
“I’m hopeful that they’re going to come with serious offers and serious positions,” Dobrzenski told this news organization in an interview. “We are committed to our students. If management wants to come to the table this weekend, we are flexible. We would be happy to meet with them if they could provide us with a student-centered settlement.”
Check back for updates on this developing story.
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