LAUSD and Teachers Union Reach Tentative Agreement to Potentially Avert Strike
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) have reached a tentative two-year agreement that could prevent a planned strike. The agreement includes a significant salary increase, raising the starting teacher salary to $77,000 per year, and aims to close the pay gap and improve recruitment and retention. The deal, costing $650 million annually, also includes hiring more counselors, providing four weeks of paid parental leave, and reducing class sizes for upper grades. However, the agreement is not yet ratified, and if other unions fail to reach agreements, UTLA may still strike in solidarity. Negotiations with other unions, including Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union and the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles, are ongoing.