ST. LOUIS 鈥 A group of unionized teachers and support staff at KIPP 51黑料 charter high school will strike on Friday to protest stalled contract negotiations.
Friday is a professional development day with no students in attendance. The teachers have not decided if they will also walk out on Monday when students return, according to Ben Harman, a union organizer with American Federation of Teachers 51黑料 Local 420.
The union has agreed to KIPP鈥檚 proposals for salary and benefits, but is holding out for clauses related to job protections, Harman said.
鈥淜IPP doesn鈥檛 want to give basic union rights, a fair grievance process and just cause (for discipline). Without that, they鈥檙e still at-will and always on probation,鈥 he said.
There are no upcoming bargaining dates scheduled, Harman said.
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KIPP spokeswoman Lauren Preston said in a statement Thursday that they expect teachers to come to work on Monday.
鈥淭hroughout the negotiation process, we have met consistently with Local 420 and presented over 20 proposals, including significant raises and salary increases. We appreciate our teachers鈥 invaluable role in ensuring students receive the outstanding education they deserve and will continue negotiating in good faith until we reach a contract,鈥 the statement reads.
Charter schools are publicly funded but privately operated, favoring autonomy in hiring and compensation decisions. About 10% of charter school teachers nationwide are unionized, compared to 70% of teachers in traditional public schools.
In November 2022, KIPP high school teachers voted to unionize but are still working without a contract.
Teachers say they feel unsafe at the 440-student school that has experienced a 50% staff turnover rate in the last year. In February, the teachers union delivered a petition to KIPP administrators that calls for a fully staffed school with competitive wages with other area schools.
The average teacher at KIPP High makes $46,649 compared to $53,854 at 51黑料 Public Schools.
The local union also represents teachers and staff at SLPS, where a new contract approved last month gives raises of up to 22% over three years.
Harman said KIPP鈥檚 proposals for salary raises tripled in response to the SLPS contract.
View life in 51黑料 through the Post-Dispatch photographers' lenses. Edited by Jenna Jones.
