Detroit teachers are voting Wednesday afternoon on whether to strike over safety concerns they have over reopening school buildings during COVID-19.
Officials with the Detroit Federation of Teachers said the union will take a strike vote at a meeting at 4:30 p.m.
"The Detroit Federation of Teachers, on behalf of its over 4,000 members, has continuously expressed concern with the District regarding its reopening plan," officials said in a statement on Friday.
"A few weeks ago we issued a list of demands in partnership with our sister unions. Our demands continue to go ignored and so it is now time for us to bring the question to our membership to make a difficult but necessary decision for what is in the best interest of our students and members."
Detroit Public Schools Community District officials tweeted on Wednesday that teachers are not required to teach in person.
"Teachers Have Options. No Teacher is Required to Teach Face to Face. Most students are selecting online learning," the district said on Twitter.
According to the district, parent surveys show 75% plan online learning for their children, with 25% preferring in-person instruction.
DPSCD superintendent Nikolai Vitti said on Twitter: "Conversations with DFT have increased over the past week and we are both bargaining in good faith. The reopening process is very hard, on multiple levels, but we will get this right for our students, families and employees."
Vitti also tweeted that it is more accurate to say that DFT members are voting to give DFT leadership the authority to consider or use a strike to bargain.
The state's largest district, with 51,000 students, approved a reopening plan last month that calls for smaller in-person classes and daily safety protocols including cleanings, mask-wearing and social distancing for those who choose to return their children to classroom buildings amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some teachers, labor leaders and community members have blasted the plan, arguing it's unsafe to resume in-person instruction. The district has said it will abide by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's decisions if a shift to fully online instruction is required based on the trajectory of the pandemic this fall.
The DFT has issued a list of proposals to the district. They include:
•Developing a new reopening plan with the union
•Offering hazard pay for teachers and other staffers and agreeing not to outsource school service to private companies
•Giving staff the chance to opt out of in-person work if they or a family member is considered high risk for COVID-19
•Creating a health advisory committee that includes city and county health officials as well as students, parents, teachers and community partners
•Offering in-person learning to special needs students while waiting until the region moves to Phase 6 of the state's coronavirus recovery plan before bringing back all students.
The district is scheduled to begin classes Sept. 8.
jchambers@detroitnews.com
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