San Francisco Teachers On the Verge of a Strike

The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

Leaders of the San Francisco teachers' union expect to declare an impasse today in their negotiations for a new contract with the San Francisco Unified School District, moving one step closer to a strike.

The union, representing 6,000 teachers and aides, has been working under an expired contract since July 1, 2004. Members last had a pay raise 3 1/2 years ago.

Both sides will meet again today, after which union leaders said they probably will declare that negotiations have broken down.

"I imagine that's how we're going to end the day -- by going to impasse," Dennis Kelly, president of the United Educators of San Francisco, said Wednesday.

It they teachers think they can get a better deal somewhere else in the economy why don't they quit their jobs.That's the way it works in the real private sector.