The teachers of the Los Angeles Unified School District are set to begin voting on whether to authorize a strike this Thursday.
United Teachers L.A. is asking for a retroactive 6.5 % pay hike. The District says it can’t afford that without draining almost half of its $1.2 billion reserve fund.
New LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner says there are areas of commonality shared by the two sides such as the desire to reduce class sizes and increasing the number of school librarians, nurses and counselors. But, according to the Los Angeles Times, UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl has accused Beutner of attempting to delay the strike authorization vote and mediation sessions.
The District says it has agreed to begin talks with Public Employment Relations Board on Sept. 27.
By Sandy Wells/CNS