After the United Teachers Los Angeles asked its members to boycott faculty meetings until a labor contract agreement is reached, the district released a breakdown of the proposal, which includes a 19% ongoing wage increase. It also includes class size reductions and staffing incentives for certain schools.
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The district has said it needs to keep money in reserve for a rainy day, especially amid concerns over a possible recession.
Arlene Inouye, UTLA's bargaining co-chair and secretary and member of the teacher's union, issued a statement following Friday's negotiations that reads in part, "As it stands, this deal doesn't provide educators with a living wage nor does it address the egregious staffing shortage that leaves too many students without access to a counselor, a social worker, or a school psychologist."
"It took more than eleven months for the district to make their current inadequate proposals. UTLA members have spent the last year having to fight for a contract... Although the district will certainly boast about their current proposal, it still falls short of meeting our needs and the needs of our communities."
Below is breakdown of LAUSD's proposal:
- 19% ongoing wage increase (7% increase retroactive to July 1, 2022, 7% increase on July 1, 2023 and 5% increase on July 1, 2024)
- Additional $20,000 ongoing increase for nurses
- Additional $3,000 ongoing increase for school psychologists, psychiatric social workers, PSA counselors and other special services providers
- Additional $2,500 ongoing increase for special education teachers
- Additional $1,500 ongoing increase for early education teachers
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LAUSD said these salary increases are in addition to the 5% ongoing wage increase provided in the 2021-2022 school year and "represent a total ongoing salary increase of more than 24% over the 3-year period from July 1, 2021 through July 1, 2024."
- Reduction of two students in all academic classes, grades TK-12
- Additional counselor to provide college counseling in all high schools with 900 or more students
- Additional $7,500 stipend for National Board Certified teachers working in identified priority schools who agree to serve as demonstration teachers/classrooms
- Up to $6,000 per year in stipends for teachers working in identified priority schools who earn district microcredentials in race & equity, equitable grading, English learners, early literacy and STEAM
- $2,000 per year for mental health support providers working in in identified priority schools
- $5,400 per year for qualified dual language program teachers providing content instruction in the target language - including those providing content instruction in ASL
- $1,000 per year for dual language program teachers providing content instruction in English
- $1,000 per year for dual language program teachers earning a district dual language microcredential
Last month, thousands of LAUSD service workers overwhelmingly approved what has been described as a "historic" labor agreement.
Members of the Service Employees International Union Local 99 cast ballots on the proposed contract in-person and online from April 3-7. The agreement was reached March 24 following a strike that shuttered the nation's second-largest school district for three days.
That contract effectively met the union's demand for a 30% pay raise and also includes bonus payments, retroactive pay and fully paid health benefits.
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UTLA joined the SEIU strike in solidarity.
City News Service contributed to this report.