Los Angeles Moves a Step Closer to Teacher Strike as Mediation Ends & District Files Unfair Labor Practice Charge Against Union
This article was created in collaboration with LA School Report.
Los Angeles took a significant step towards a strike on Friday when efforts to mediate between the L.A. Unified School District and United Teachers Los Angeles came to an end. The school district has now filed an unfair labor practice charge against the teacher’s union, accusing them of refusing to participate in good faith.
Both parties will now proceed to a process known as fact-finding. Each side has five days to choose a representative for the fact-finding panel, and thereafter, the state’s Public Employment Relations Board will select a chairperson. The panel, consisting of three individuals, will have 30 days to submit a nonbinding report. After the report is submitted, the district will have the right to impose its last offer, while the union will have the freedom to strike.
In response to Friday’s mediation session, the district released a statement claiming that the union sought to terminate the mediation after the initial session.
"UTLA has openly admitted that their sole purpose for participating in the mediation was to expedite the strike process. They have never negotiated in good faith," stated the district.
According to the district, the union’s demands would financially cripple L.A. Unified, resulting in the unprecedented layoff of approximately 12,000 employees, including teachers.
The district has also provided a fact sheet, addressing frequently asked questions about the ongoing contract negotiations.
In a separate statement, the union expressed its efforts to negotiate in good faith, but criticized LAUSD officials for failing to reciprocate with substantial proposals to reinvest in schools.
"The district believes that they can appease us with a small pay raise, but our struggle has always extended beyond salary," commented union president Alex Caputo-Pearl.
The union has also released a list outlining the known facts about the district’s financial state.
Today, the Los Angeles Unified School District filed an unfair labor practice charge against UTLA for their refusal to participate in good faith in the statutory impasse procedures, stated General Counsel David Holmquist.
