Teachers Authorize Strike; Talks Continue

Los Angeles teachers voted overwhelmingly Thursday to authorize a strike against the school district if contract negotiations fail to produce an acceptable agreement.

But United Teachers-Los Angeles President Day Higuchi said, “The results do not mean a strike is imminent.” Rather, the vote was one of several procedural steps the union must take before it can declare a strike.

Union leaders and Supt. Roy Romer are battling over raises, as well as proposals that would tie pay to performance and allow principals to assign staff members. Teachers now select their assignments by seniority.

Last week Romer presented the union with his latest offer. It would provide salary increases of about 20% over three years. The union is asking for 18.8% this year.

Both sides held news conferences Thursday.

Higuchi said that his members roundly reject the district’s offer, and that 95% of district teachers who participated in the vote authorized the union to strike if necessary. More than 30,000 of the district’s 35,000 teachers cast ballots.

At a separate news conference, school board President Genethia Hayes said she does not expect a strike. She called the teachers’ vote a natural expression of faith in their union. Both sides remain at the negotiating table.

Romer was attending a superintendents’ meeting in San Francisco on Thursday. He said in a statement that he expects to complete a contract with teachers by Nov. 1.