Teachers Threaten Walkout : Education: Union picks Friday the 13th as a symbolic day to strike unless an agreement is reached in contract talks.

As contract negotiations stalled Tuesday over whether pay cuts can be prevented next year, the Los Angeles teachers union announced that it will stage a one-day classroom walkout on Friday, Nov. 13.

“If we have no offer on that day, we will walk out,” said United Teachers-Los Angeles President Helen Bernstein.

Union and district officials met in a series of meetings Tuesday that failed to bring about an agreement. Negotiators have intensified the pace of their meetings this week as teachers face a cumulative 12% salary cut in their paychecks Friday.

Teachers are planning protest actions Friday that include wearing black clothing and buttons stating: “I don’t want a strike, but I will.”

Union leaders said they chose Friday the 13th for the walkout because of the ominous symbolism of the day and to give the district enough time to present a new offer. It will also give parents time to decide whether to keep their children home from school.

“A one-day protest will demonstrate that teachers can close the schools down,” Bernstein said. “At that point maybe the city and school board needs to know that we are serious.”

At a meeting earlier this week, 60 union chapter chairs agreed to plan payday protests to give teachers an outlet for their anger. Bernstein said the planned job actions are “progressive steps” toward a strike. No strike deadline has been set, although two weeks ago union members voted overwhelmingly to authorize a walkout.

“Unfortunately, a one-day walkout does not bring a pot of gold,” said school board member Jeff Horton. “It doesn’t eliminate any of the financial problems the district still has.”

Union officials are urging teachers to sign informal petitions alerting six board members that they will not support them in their next election bid.

The only board member not targeted is Julie Korenstein. She was the lone member of the seven-person board who voted in October against the district budget that authorized the salary cuts, which were prompted by a staggering $400-million budget shortfall.

School district spokeswoman Diana Munatones said officials will begin preparing for the one-day walkout by hiring substitute teachers and reassigning administrators to school supervision duties. The goal is to keep the schools safe and open, she said.

The sticking point in negotiations centers on future salary cuts. The union is demanding that the district contractually guarantee that there will be no reductions next year. Board members have been unwilling to make such a commitment because of uncertainties over state funding.

District negotiators said they are working on an offer in which teachers would agree to participate in several money-saving measures.

The union has taken the lead in developing the proposals, which include a teacher hiring freeze. Under one measure, secondary school teachers could volunteer to teach an additional class during their planning period and would receive auxiliary pay.