header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
September 18
1962 - Articles of incorporation filed for Golden State Memorial Hospital on Lyons Avenue [story]
Golden State Hospital


By Martin Macias Jr.

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles public school teachers can begin their strike on Monday, Jan. 14, after a judge ruled Thursday that the school district could not extend the strike delay even further or block it altogether.

United Teachers Los Angeles had planned to begin their strike on Jan. 10 but were forced to delay it after the school district sought an injunction to block the union and its members from striking.

Barrett Green of Littler Mendelson, an attorney for the school district, said at a hearing Thursday that the district’s collective bargaining agreement requires the union to provide a written 10-day notice before a strike begins.

Green said the district needs time to prepare before a strike and requires confirmation that a strike threat is real.

“The district is constantly in negotiations with different parties and never knows what’s a real threat,” Green said, adding that the district could suffer irreparable harm if sufficient notice wasn’t granted.

Joshua Adams of Bush Gottlieb, an attorney for the union, said a Dec. 19 email notice of a strike was “clear,” and added that the union’s Jan. 2 email to the district simply sought reaffirmation that the notice was received.

Adams said the district’s concern about any irreparable harm was “speculative.”

In a bench ruling after the hearing, Superior Court Judge Mary Strobel denied the district’s argument for a temporary restraining order and said no evidence showed that the district would suffer any harm if the strike begins on Monday.

“Any irreparable harm the district has suffered has largely already occurred,” Strobel said.

As part of her ruling, Strobel recognized Dec. 17 as the official date of termination of the teacher’s contract, which the district sought to continue enforcing.

In a statement, the school district said it will continue negotiations to seek to resolve contract issues and avoid a strike.

“Los Angeles Unified is willing to work around the clock to avoid a strike that will harm the students, families and communities most in need,” the district said.

UTLA said in a statement following the ruling that Judge Strobel reaffirmed the union’s legal right to strike and that it properly notified LAUSD.

The union announced plans for its 30,000 educators to strike on Dec. 19, backed by a 98 percent vote by its members in August to authorize the strike.

Union officials met with the school district’s bargaining team on Wednesday but did not make any progress.

In a statement after those failed bargaining talks, the school district said it offered the union a reduction in class sizes and more than 1,000 new hires, including nurses, counselors and other educators.

The union wants to see the school district use its $1.8 billion in reserves to reduce class sizes and bolster new hires including nurses, librarians and other staff. They’re also seeking a pay raise and a cap on public dollars that benefit charter schools across the district.

A spokesperson for the district did not immediately provide comment on the ruling.

After California Gov. Gavin Newsom released a proposed 2019-20 budget that would increase funding for public education, the district said Thursday that it would offer the union an updated proposal that would reduce class size and provide support for classroom educators.

“Our current offer goes a long way by adding almost 1,000 educators to schools in Los Angeles Unified, and the additional funding will allow us to further reduce class size,” School Board President Monica Garcia said in a statement.

A district spokesperson did not provide details on the updated offer by press time Thursday afternoon.

Meanwhile, 80 teachers at three LA-based charter schools have threatened to strike on Jan. 15 if the network doesn’t meet their demands on health care plan contributions, revamping teacher dismissal protocol and addressing turnover rates that are as high as 50 percent at some schools.

The educators, also represented by UTLA, began negotiations with the network in April 2017.

During bargaining, the Accelerated Schools network proposed freezing contributions to health care premiums, passing on all future increases to teachers, and retaining the ability to fire any teacher, without cause or explanation, at the end of each year.

After coming to impasse, 99 percent of teachers voted in June 2018 to authorize a strike.

“Teachers know that our demands are not only reasonable, but modest and achievable,” said Simone Barclay, a second grade teacher at Accelerated. “We are outraged that we may be forced to strike over such basic rights that 90 percent of teachers in L.A. already enjoy.”

A UTLA spokesperson said Thursday that no negotiations have been scheduled with the charter operator.

With negations set to resume Friday, UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl said at a press conference that he has not seen any updated proposal from the district but remains hopeful that negotiations can avert a strike.

“We go with an open mind with hopes of seeing a proposal tomorrow,” Caputo-Pearl said Thursday.

If the Accelerated teachers strike, they’d be the first charter educators in LA to do so and only the second charter teachers to strike in the country. Educators at the Acero charter network in Chicago went on strike last December.

A spokesperson for Accelerated did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

2 Comments

  1. Jeanne says:

    Awwww, TOO BAD!! Classroom sizes too big? WEll maybe if LA was not a sanctuary city there wouldn’t be so many kids in every class! Not enough money the state says? Too freakin bad!

  2. Jeanne says:

    Maybe the teachers should start instructing students how to add and subtract before they grow up to VOTE!!

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Wednesday, Sep 18, 2024
Sept. 21: JCI Invites All Veterans to Upcoming Resource Fair
JCI Santa Clarita is proud to announce the upcoming Veteran’s Resource Fair, scheduled to take place on Sept. 21 at William S. Hart Park. 
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2024
Sept. 19: SENSES Pirate Block Party
Get ready to set sail at the Pirates SENSES Block Party, presented by the city of Santa Clarita, Thursday, Sept 19 from 7-10 p.m. on main street in Old Town Newhall.
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2024
Foothill League Football Begins for SCV Teams
Six of the seven Foothill League Varsity football teams begin league play Friday night, Sept. 20.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
The Counties of Los Angeles and San Bernardino today announced the opening of multiple joint Local Assistance Centers to assist residents impacted by the Bridge and Line Fires.
L.A., San Bernardino Counties to Open Joint Local Assistance Centers for Residents Impacted by Bridge and Line Fires
Valencia Gynecology Associates, owned by longtime Santa Clarita Valley OB-GYN physician Don Nishiguchi, MD, has joined the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital network. 
Valencia Gynecology Assoc. Joins Henry Mayo Network
JCI Santa Clarita is proud to announce the upcoming Veteran’s Resource Fair, scheduled to take place on Sept. 21 at William S. Hart Park. 
Sept. 21: JCI Invites All Veterans to Upcoming Resource Fair
A "friendies" field tournament  is being  hosted by the Saugus Instrumental Music program, with support from Valencia High, later this month. 
Sept. 21: All Valley Showcase Comes to Valencia High
Public, member-supported 88.5 FM The SoCal Sound, Southern California’s leading Triple-A (adult album alternative) format radio station has announced the lineup for its inaugural “Year-End Bash” taking place on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Dec. 7: CSUN Owned 88.5-FM The SoCal Sound Announces “Year End Bash” Lineup featuring Ben Gibbard
The Master's University cross-country teams continued their successful 2024 campaigns with strong finishes at the BIOLA Invitational on Friday, Sept. 13 at Craig Regional Park in Fullerton, Calif.
TMU Women Win, Men Place Second at XC Invitational
Sheriff’s Department Announces New Law Enforcement Gang Policy
Sheriff’s Department Announces New Law Enforcement Gang Policy
The biology department at California State University, Northridge has stayed committed to promoting STEM research carried out by K-12 students and teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
CSUN Student Research Journal Celebrates 28 Years of Inspiring Scientific Imagination
Did you know the SCVEDC has an interactive, online tool that provides themed virtual tours of the amazing features the community has to offer? 
Take a Virtual Tour of the Santa Clarita Valley
California Institute of the Arts alum and visionary filmmaker Tim Burton (Film/Video 1979) was honored with the 2,788th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
CalArts Alum Tim Burton Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
1962 - Articles of incorporation filed for Golden State Memorial Hospital on Lyons Avenue [story]
Golden State Hospital
The Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center welcomes back Jim Curry for an evening concert celebrating the music of John Denver on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at Bella Vida.
Oct. 5: SCV Senior Center Welcomes Jim Curry ‘Take Me Home’
As part of the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency's ongoing commitment to ensuring local groundwater quality and reliability, the SCV Water recently began construction on a new treatment facility to remove perchlorate and volatile organic compounds at Well 205 in Valencia.
SCV Water Begins New Water Treatment Project in Valencia
Get ready to set sail at the Pirates SENSES Block Party, presented by the city of Santa Clarita, Thursday, Sept 19 from 7-10 p.m. on main street in Old Town Newhall.
Sept. 19: SENSES Pirate Block Party
No. 21 College of the Canyons football team knocked off No. 5 Fullerton College 29-13 on Saturday night behind a stifling defensive effort and five field goals from Luis Rodriguez.
No. 21 Canyons Knocks Off No. 5 Fullerton 29-13
Six of the seven Foothill League Varsity football teams begin league play Friday night, Sept. 20.
Foothill League Football Begins for SCV Teams
The California Institute of the Arts will present the "NAACP Santa Clarita Masquerade Ball", Friday, Oct. 4, 7-11 p.m. at 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355.
Oct. 4: NAACP Santa Clarita Masquerade Ball at Cal Arts
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating two human cases of a rare parasitic infection, Baylisascaris procyonis, also known as raccoon roundworm.
Public Health Investigating Disease Spread from Animals to Humans
1879 - First official Newhall School building erected near Walnut & Ninth streets [story]
First Newhall School
The city of Santa Clarita is hosting Make A Difference Day on Saturday, Oct. 26 and is looking for enthusiastic residents to volunteer for various projects that benefit local nonprofits, as well as the city.
Oct. 26: Volunteers Needed for Make a Difference Day
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and PathPoint announced the graduation of Aiden Land and Andrew Mendence from the Project SEARCH internship program.
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, PathPoint Celebrate Grad Interns
The William S. Hart Union High School District has announced upcoming community information meetings about Learning Post Academy Independent Study School, Thursday, Sept. 18 and Friday, Sept. 19.
Sept. 18-19: Learning Post Academy Online Information Meetings
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting Wednesday, Sept. 18, 5 p.m. in open session to interview and appoint a new trustee for Area 5.
Sept. 18: COC Board to Interview, Appoint Area 5 Trustee
The city of Santa Clarita wants to remind residents that volunteer registration is open for the 29th Annual River Rally Cleanup and Environmental Expo scheduled for next Saturday, Sept. 21, from 8 to 11 a.m. at the William S. Hart Pony Baseball and Softball Complex, 23780 Auto Center Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
Sept. 20: Last Chance to Register for the River Rally
SCVNews.com