MEMBERS of a respected teachers’ union have authorized a strike, increasing pressure on contract negotiations
Members of United Teachers in Los Angeles voted overwhelmingly to authorize their leadership to call a strike, increasing pressure as negotiations stall and LA Unified warns of possible layoffs and future budget shortfalls.
A similar strike authorization vote by the school’s other largest union, Local 99 of Service Employees International Union, is scheduled to begin next week.
The number of votes in UTLA was 94% in favor of the authorization of the strike and it was announced early on Saturday.
The union is focused on a 16% immediate raise for new teachers, a 3% raise across the board in the second year of the contract and automatic salary increases tied to years of experience and continuing education. The district contributes 2.5% in the first year of the three-year contract; 2% next, and a one time bonus of 1%..
“The current salary system is so low that thousands of LAUSD teachers are eligible for less affordable housing,” the union said in a recent statement. Thousands of teachers are “not getting more than a minimum wage, a living paycheck to paycheck after decades of service to the district,” the union said in a statement.
For speech therapist Kyoko Bristow, who works with elementary school students in Boyle Heights and East LA, the main problem is staffing ratios.
“I love my job. I love my students. We all do,” Bristow said. But there are students who don’t get the speech therapy they need, and plenty of students who get some of the services they need to get their education. And that’s not fair, especially when the county has billions in reserves.”
He is also concerned that compensation has fallen sharply behind the cost of living, making it difficult to recruit and retain qualified teachers.
The minimum annual salary is about $69,000 and long-time teachers with additional education credits can earn more than $100,000.
The district said it could not oppose the union’s proposal.
“Ultimately, we strive for this balance that must be struck between multi-year financial solvency” and “well-protected students, programs, schools and staff,” said LA schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho. “This balance needs to be maintained.”
The vote’s approval does not mean the union representing about 37,000 workers will go on strike, but it gives leadership the power to call a strike without going back to members for an additional vote. The authorization of strikes is a pressure tactic that unions use to show solidarity and threaten immediate work stoppages.
In addition to classroom teachers, UTLA represents teachers who work outside the classroom, counselors, psychologists, social psychologists, librarians and nurses.
The teachers union participates in a very significant public consultation process. Its negotiating team has around 150 participants and unions post online offers and counter-arguments from each side.
Union members are currently working under contract terms that expire on June 30, 2025, so the first-year raises will continue into the current school year.
Budget questions
Speaking of which, the teachers union has been focused on the size of the district’s reserve since last July, which stood at $5 billion out of a total budget of $18.8 billion.
In contrast, LA Unified officials have pointed to what they call a significant structural deficiency. In particular, the district spends more than 2 billion dollars more than it takes in, based on this year’s approved budget. And this annual deficit will continue to prevent further development and cost reductions. The district calculates that it will burn out on its property and not be able to pay off all its debts in three years.
A $5 billion fund was created during the COVID-19 funding period, when the district received more money than it could spend. At the time, the district was budgeted to expand 6,000 jobs to support students and families – but 2,000 were not filled – resulting in billions of dollars in savings.
Still, many jobs were closed and the district avoided layoffs at the pace of declining enrollment. When the one-time pandemic relief funding ends, officials estimate they will have to cut the workforce by about 1,200 workers. Last week, the district warned that layoffs would be necessary. Specific details are expected to be submitted to the school board for discussion in February.
Union leaders argue that the school system’s looming financial crisis is a paradox created by overly cautious accounting projections.
Raising teacher pay union first
Another focus of the union is to improve automatic annual salary increases – intended to reward more experience and education. This can create higher annual salaries without having to negotiate them throughout the contract cycle.
Besides wages, UTLA’s broad, community-minded platform stems from 665 member meetings held at schools last year, where the union also sought broad input from students, parents and other community members.
The union is also proposing more hiring to provide better services for students — as the district announces layoff plans.
In a statement, district officials said UTLA’s proposal was unaffordable.
“UTLA’s proposals exceed $1.3 billion annually in total costs and cost more than $4 billion over the three-year contract period,” the district said in a statement Friday. “This comes at a time when the income of the districts continues to decrease and the inflow of funds from the government at the same time is not guaranteed.”
Also Friday, the district announced its proposal to the teachers union for more than $550 million.
“This follows a 26% wage increase that was negotiated from 2021 to 2025,” said a district spokesperson.
Other unions are also pushing for improved contracts
The 30,000 members of Local 99 also work under a contract that expires, effective June 30, 2024. Local 99 members include bus drivers, teacher’s aides, special education aides, custodians and food service workers.
These workers, on average, make significantly less money than teachers union members.
The two unions last went on strike in 2023, when they staged a three-day joint walkout. Both unions quickly settled with the nation’s second-largest school district after the strike — first Local 99 and then UTLA.
Other unions also represent regional workers and have been negotiating.
Earlier this week, the district reached a tentative agreement with Teamsters Local 572, which represents more than 3,200 workers including school aides, food service managers and plant managers.
The deal includes a 13% pay rise over three years, a 6% backdated increase in 2024-25, a 4% increase in 2025-26 and a 3% increase in 2026-27.
All unions have agreed to a joint health benefits plan with the county. UTLA members approved the health care package on the same ballot as the strike authorization, with 99% voting yes.
