After more than 18 months of negotiations and a recent strike authorization vote, the Fremont Unified District Teachers Association (FUDTA) has reached a tentative agreement with Fremont Unified School District, union leaders announced on Wednesday, May 1.
The deal comes after a prolonged stalemate in which district negotiators reportedly declined several invitations to return to the bargaining table, even after the impasse process had concluded. It wasn’t until the Alameda County Superintendent stepped in to mediate that both parties reconvened. However, union representatives say the district still refused to engage on one of the most pressing issues for teachers: class size caps.
“I am proud of our members. We stood strong, rallying and standing strong together for each other and for our community,” said FUDTA President Vicky Chon in a press release. “We did have some wins, but at the end of the day, the class size issues our members are passionate about were not issues the district wanted to discuss.”
The new agreement includes a district contribution of $1,000 per year toward teacher healthcare premiums—a first for Fremont educators, who previously received no such support. It also includes a 5% salary increase spread over the next two years.
Still, union leaders voiced frustration that their calls for smaller class sizes were left unaddressed, particularly given concerns about overcrowded classrooms and students’ lack of individual attention.
“Our members are disappointed that we were not able to win the class size caps we know our students need, and that create the learning environments our community has come to expect here in Fremont,” said Cara Coleman, the union’s organizing chair. “We are committed to the long game here. If our board and superintendent is showing us that they aren’t even able to discuss the class caps we need, we have some work to do here in terms of leadership in the district.”
The agreement came just days after teachers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. With the settlement now in place, educators say they remain committed to pushing for more accountable leadership and improved conditions in Fremont schools.
