L.A. Teachers Union Files Labor Complaint Against Voluntary Extra School Days
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The United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) has decided to boycott the first of four optional school days scheduled to provide extra instruction for students who are struggling academically. These days are planned for October, December, March, and April and teachers will be paid their regular rate for their participation. However, the UTLA has objected to the initiative, claiming that it is a misuse of educational funding and a mere stunt that costs $122 million.
Los Angeles public schools were among the last in the country to reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic. Students did not return to in-person classrooms until the end of April 2021, more than a year after the school closures.
The prolonged period of disrupted instruction due to the pandemic has led the federal government to allocate an additional $128 billion to K-12 schools nationwide for COVID relief and remediation of learning loss.
The first statewide test scores since the reopening of schools are anticipated to be released later this year in California, and the expectation is not optimistic.
Alberto Carvalho, the new superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, acknowledged the negative impact of interrupted learning, referring to it as learning loss or unfinished learning. Carvalho expressed an unprecedented sense of urgency to address this issue, based on his 30-plus years of experience as an educator.
Surprisingly, this sense of urgency does not seem to be shared by the union leadership. President Cecily Myart-Cruz has denied the existence of learning loss, focusing instead on negotiating collective bargaining agreements.
In April, the L.A. school board unanimously approved the 2022-23 school calendar, which included seven optional days. Three of these days were designated for professional development for teachers, and the remaining four were instructional days distributed throughout the year.
Shortly after the approval, the UTLA sent a letter to the district, demanding to bargain over the extended school year. The union requested a detailed explanation of the rationale behind the plan, including the $122 million cost. The district provided a response, but the union now claims that the plan is a waste of taxpayer funds, despite acknowledging that some of the funds have already been spent on professional development days.
Subsequently, the union filed an unfair labor practice complaint, accusing the district of failing to negotiate in good faith regarding the school calendar.
This dispute occurs within the context of contract negotiations, as the collective bargaining agreement for teachers expired in June. The UTLA is requesting a 10% salary increase for the next two years and desires to allocate the $122 million towards smaller class sizes, hiring more counselors, social workers, psychologists, and investing in teacher development. However, the district is reluctant to employ permanent staff funded by temporary federal COVID relief funds.
In California schools, virtually nothing can happen without first negotiating with the union due to state laws and contractual obligations. The California Teachers Association advises its local affiliates to demand bargaining when in doubt.
It is worth noting that the stance of the UTLA is contradicted by SEIU 99, the union representing support employees in the Los Angeles district. SEIU 99 expressed support for the additional instructional days, believing that they benefit both students and staff.
The district and the teachers’ union have initiated negotiations regarding the additional days, as confirmed by a representative of the Los Angeles Unified School District. The union’s decision to boycott only the first of the four days suggests that they aimed to engage in extended back-and-forth bargaining, eventually securing additional staff according to their preferences.
In the event that there are still any remaining students.
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report is typically published on Wednesdays. You can find the complete collection of articles.
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