From The Los Angeles Daily News: The Los Angeles Unified school board is expected to vote on a two-year budget plan that calls for the elimination of more than 5,000 district positions unless employee unions agree to furloughs and pay cuts. The layoffs could be avoided if all district employees were to take an 11.75 percent pay cut, which could come in the form of furloughs or other cuts. The district is facing a shortfall of some $1.2 billion through 2012, according to a report by Chief Financial Officer Megan Reilly.NOVEMBER 2009...from The Los Angeles Times: About 20,000 Los Angeles school district workers have agreed to four unpaid furlough days to help close a large budget gap. Two units of Service Employees International Union Local 99 representing cafeteria workers, bus drivers and other employees approved the measure last week. The members will take one furlough day per month from February through May. The move will save about $7.7 million, according to union officials.
SEPTEMBER 2009....from The Los Angeles Times: Bus drivers in the Los Angeles Unified School District have agreed to take six unpaid days off this fiscal year. The deal is the first time in recent history that a school district union has agreed to furloughs. Last year, the district approved -- but never required -- four unpaid days off for most employees in an attempt to offset a budget shortfall. The district is facing a nearly $200 million budget shortfall this fiscal year.
