Teachers earn whopping pay raise as under-fire LAUSD folds to avert strike

The Los Angeles Unified School District gave in Sunday to demands for significant pay increases for teachers in order to avoid a looming strike planned for Tuesday.

The tentative two-year agreement with the teachers’ union would increase “salary scales” by 11.65% and set starting pay for “beginning” teachers at $77,000 annually, LAUSD announced on its website.

That could result up to around $11,000 more for teachers with 15 to 30 years of experience, the union estimated.

“We will continue to meet with our remaining labor partners throughout the weekend with the intent to reach additional agreements that would allow us to keep schools open on Tuesday, April 14,” the district said.

The union, United Teachers Los Angeles, said in a statement to news outlets that progress is being made.

“The truth has always been clear — the district CAN afford these changes,” said Julie Van Winkle, vice president of the union representing around 38,000 teachers.

“This contract fight has never been about prolonging conflict. It has always been about securing the respect and investments that educators and students deserve.”

The deal resulted from a months-long negotiation process since the union’s contract expired last June. Despite the deal, a Tuesday strike still hasn’t been completely ruled out as additional details are in flux.

That’s because Service Employees International Union Local 99 — which represents custodians, cafeteria workers and service workers — is currently bargaining with the district. If a deal isn’t reached there, the teachers’ union has promised to strike in solidarity.

The tentative agreement will result in an average salary increase of 13.86%, according to details shared in a newsletter by UTLA. There are also other benefits.

There would be four weeks of unpaid parental leave, increased health care for substitute teachers, protections against artificial intelligence, stipends for special education classes that violate class size requirements, and more.

Much of the negotiations have been driven by inflation, the union argued, that has made day-to-day living for teachers more difficult.

The agreement must be ratified by both UTLA members and the district’s board in order for it to be finalized.

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