The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) reached provisional contractual agreements with two unions this Sunday and only requires reaching an agreement with a third union to avoid a strike, which could break out this Tuesday, April 14.
According to the LAUSD, it reached preliminary agreements with the UTLA union, which represents teachers, as well as with the Teamsters union, which defends administrators.
The SEIU Local Ninety nine union, which represents custodians, school cafeteria workersspecial education assistants and bus drivers, are holding talks with the school district, a few hours before the deadline for a work stoppage to begin.
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If there is no positive result at the negotiation table, tens of thousands of employees may go on strike this Tuesdayand if it occurred, the teachers promised to support the union in a solidarity work stoppage.
“We will continue to meet with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local Ninety nine, with the intention of reaching an agreement that allows us to keep schools open on Tuesday, April 14“LAUSD stated in a statement.
This Sunday, the school district announced separate preliminary agreements with the United Academics Los Angeles (UTLA) union and with the Association of Administrators of Los Angeles (AALA)/Teamsters 2010.
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The two-year agreement with UTLA allows for increased teacher pay scales by 11.65% and raising the starting salary of teachers to $77,000 per year.
Also includes more mental health counselors for studentsfour weeks of district-paid parental leave and reducing special education class sizes.
“It has been a long road to get here, so I feel very good about today (Sunday)said science teacher and UTLA negotiating team member Armaghan Khan.
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“If they don’t have to work for Uber or look for further work, They have more energy to devote to teaching. They can focus more on the students. At the end of the day, for me and all my colleagues, the most important thing is always the students,” Khan added.
Negotiation with the AALA/Teamsters 2010 union benefits with an increase in the salary of its members of 11.65%with a review in the third year of the agreement.
Talks between LAUSD and SEIU Local Ninety Nine continuea union group that fights for higher salaries and the hiring of more non-public, to achieve safer schools.
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“What they offer us keeps us below the poverty line. That is why we ask for salaries that allow us to be a little above that threshold. As you know, the cost of living continues to increase, especially in Los Angeles County,” said special education assistant Jazmín Araujo-Vargas.
“Most of our members cannot afford a house or a one-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles, so we can’t keep up with the cost of living“Added Araujo-Vargas, in an interview with the ABC network.
The SEIU Local Ninety nine union is on track to start a strike starting this Tuesday, and will continue with the work stoppage until an agreement is reached with the LAUSD.
Keep reading:
· Los Angeles Teachers Union Announce Strike for April 14
· Family sues the Los Angeles school district over the death of Khimberly Zavaleta
· Superintendent of the Los Angeles School District, on administrative leave
