Los Angeles Unified School District teachers have overwhelmingly voted to authorize a potential strike, with 94% of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) members supporting the measure.
The vote, announced Saturday, gives the union’s leadership authority to call a strike if contract negotiations with the district continue to stall.
“For nearly a year, educators have stood united around our contract demands because we know what our schools need,” said UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz in a statement. “We are in classrooms every day, and we know what it takes to truly serve our students and their families.”
The strike authorization does not guarantee a walkout but significantly increases pressure on the district as both sides remain far apart on key issues. UTLA, which represents approximately 37,000 workers including teachers, counselors, librarians, and nurses, is demanding smaller class sizes, more counselors, mental health resources, and improved compensation.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the union is seeking:
- an immediate 16% raise for new teachers
- a 3% across-the-board increase in the contract’s second year
- significant automatic pay increases tied to experience and education.
The district has countered with a 2.5% raise for the first year of a three-year contract, 2% for the second year, and a 1% one-time bonus.
Jacqueline Pierce Hall, a second-grade teacher at Seventh Street Elementary School in San Pedro, explained her support for the strike authorization: “I voted yes on the strike because the district needs to see that we’re not going to sit back and accept cuts when LAUSD started the school year with $5 billion in reserves.”
The district, however, paints a different financial picture. In a statement released Saturday, LAUSD cited “structural fiscal challenges driven by declining enrollment, the expiration of federal relief funds, lower-than-expected cost-of-living adjustments, and rising operational costs.” Officials warned that difficult decisions must be made “to preserve classrooms, student services, and long-term stability within finite resources.”
LAUSD officials have indicated they’re facing a $2 billion annual deficit and could burn through reserves within three years without significant cost-cutting measures. The district recently announced plans to reduce staffing by approximately 1,200 positions.
The two sides have participated in two mediation sessions without reaching an agreement. They will now move to fact-finding, where a panel will review both positions and issue a non-binding report. If no agreement is reached after this process, UTLA could call a strike.
This potential work stoppage comes just three years after UTLA’s last strike in 2023, when they staged a joint three-day walkout with Local 99 of Service Employees International Union. That strike resulted in quick settlements for both unions.
Meanwhile, LAUSD did reach a tentative agreement earlier this week with Teamsters Local 572, representing over 3,200 workers including school administrative assistants and food services managers. That agreement includes a 13% wage increase over three years.
The district also recently finalized a $3.1 billion agreement with all labor partners to extend district-funded health benefits through 2027, covering 100% of estimated healthcare premiums for eligible employees, dependents, and retirees.
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