The union representing teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District will go on strike Jan. 10 if it doesn't reach an agreement with the nation's second-largest school system.
KABC-TV reports that Alex Caputo-Pearl, president of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), announced the strike date at a morning press conference.
"Our bargaining proposals, from the beginning of this process 20 months ago, have been an attempt to save public education in Los Angeles, to make thriving schools in L.A. for the students of L.A.," Caputo-Pearl says.
The school district did not respond to the union's strike date announcement.
On Tuesday, Superintendent Austin Beutner released a copy of a fact-finding report that said the district and teachers had agreed to a pay raise.
According to the district, the union had twice communicated acceptance of a 6 percent salary offer included in the report.
"Los Angeles Unified remains committed to bargaining with UTLA and believes the fact-finder report can provide the basis for reasonable settlement of the remaining items and hopes UTLA will engage in good-faith bargaining to find an agreement," the district said in a statement. "Los Angeles Unified does not want a strike -- which only UTLA can authorize -- as a strike would harm students, families and communities most in need."
UTLA responded by saying no agreement -- regarding pay or any other matters -- was in place.
The union represents some 33,000 teachers. Before Wednesday's announcement, its members had already voted to strike if an agreement cannot be reached.
