Fremont Teachers Rally During Fact-Finding Hearing Amid Impasse

By Dhaeshna Booma & Scarlett Huang

Clad in crimson apparel and raising protest signs, more than 1,500 members of the Fremont Unified School Teachers Association (FUDTA) rallied on the streets outside the FUSD office on the afternoon of April 7. FUDTA leadership organized the event and teacher representatives from almost every school in FUSD helped coordinate. Teachers were densely packed into a city block, chanting, “Education is a right. That is why we have to fight!” The demonstration attracted public attention, with passing cars honking loudly to show support and solidarity. Ultimately, the rally achieved its main goal — to spread awareness to the public regarding the difficult position FUDTA is currently facing in the district-union negotiations.

The rally lasted 3 p.m.-6 p.m. and took place on the same day as the critical fact-finding hearing between the teachers’ union and district officials. The hearing itself began at 3 p.m. and ended without an agreement at 2:13 a.m. on April 8. The hearing represents the final stage in the CA educational labor dispute process. Since early 2024, 27 negotiation sessions and four mediation sessions have failed to produce a contract, leading both parties to enter the fact-finding stage in February 2025. Before entering fact-finding, FUSD and FUDTA reached an impasse, where neither side continued negotiations and all discussion was confidential. 

What is fact-finding?

Fact-finding aims to clarify the points of dispute between the two parties, namely on concerns about the accuracy of FUSD’s official budget reports. A neutral third-party investigator examines evidence from both sides, researches the issue, and presents findings along with non-binding recommendations for further steps. If the fact-finding report fails to produce an agreement, the district must issue its final, best offer. From that point, the union has 30 days to respond before it can legally initiate a strike. Under CA law, the release of the report — expected on April 15 — starts that 30-day countdown.  

What is FUDTA negotiating for?

Through protests like the April 7 rally and negotiations, FUDTA actively advocates for smaller class sizes, healthcare benefits, special education classes, and salary increases. “We want to make sure that our class sizes stay small so students can receive the specialized attention they need,” FUDTA President Victoria Chon said.

Beyond these individual points, FUDTA has raised concerns about discrepancies in official FUSD budget reports — a key reason the union initiated the fact-finding process. FUDTA has presented professional reports, produced through FUDTA investigation, that completely oppose the FUSD reports of a deficit. In fact, FUDTA claims that FUSD holds a 75 million dollar surplus, as opposed to the 32 million dollar deficit FUSD announced last year. This exceeds the minimum reserves required by the state, which are held in account for economic uncertainties and unforeseen expenses. The contradiction between FUDTA and the FUSD report is a main issue that fact-finding aims to resolve. However, the official reports and conclusions from fact-finding have not yet been released to teachers or the general public. 

What are the potential implications of this dispute?

The resolution of this dispute will not only determine whether or not FUDTA demands will be met, but also shape the future of public education in Fremont, potentially impacting services for the district’s 33,000 students if teachers vote to strike. “Ultimately, we are doing this in order to fight for our kids … what we are fighting for will make a lasting impact,” FUDTA President Victoria Chon said. 

The Smoke Signal reached out to FUSD officials for comment on negotiations, but did not receive responses.

 

This article is part of an ongoing collection of stories highlighting the 2025 FUSD-FUDTA Negotiations. To read more about this issue, click here.