LAUSD teachers announce plan to strike April 14 if no contract is reached

LOS ANGELES () — The union representing Los Angeles Unified School District teachers announced Wednesday it will go on strike April 14 if a new contract is not reached with the district.

The announcement came during a large rally held in Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles featuring members of United Teachers Los Angeles, Service Employees International Union Local 99 and Associated Administrators of Los Angeles.

Despite announcing a strike date, the union noted that a walkout could be avoided if negotiations lead to a contract agreement.

The April 14 date gives the union and district time to negotiate.

UTLA officials said the union is calling for wage increases totaling roughly 17% over two years – saying teachers are not being paid enough to afford to live in Los Angeles. The union is also calling for no layoffs, increased hours and staffing for student services, protections against subcontracting and artificial intelligence that might replace educators, smaller classes, more mental health and special education staff and counselors, and expanded arts and physical education programs.

The LAUSD issued a statement Wednesday saying it is “actively engaged in negotiations with our labor partners and remains committed to reaching agreements that balance the needs of students, families, and staff while ensuring long-term fiscal stability.”

Teachers have been working without a contract since last year. Even though they just reached a new deal less than three years ago, the 30,000-plus members of the teachers union say it’s not enough.

“Our students deserve to get a quality education at their local public school, and that is what we are out here fighting for,” one teacher at the rally told Eyewitness News.

Ayde Bravo has been teaching for more than three decades. She’s getting ready to retire but said she’s ready to walk off the job.

“We can’t bring in teachers as we would like because it’s not enticing to come to a school district where they pay a starting teacher not enough to get an apartment,” Bravo said.

The last time UTLA teachers went on strike was in 2019.

City News Service contributed to this report.