The Los Angeles Unified School District has reached a tentative agreement with the unions representing teachers and administrators, likely averting a strike planned for Tuesday.
The Los Angeles Daily News reports that uncertainty about a strike remains because the district is still negotiating with Service Employees International Union Local 99, which represents about 30,000 bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers and special education assistants.
The two-year deal with United Teachers Los Angeles includes a double-digit salary increase and raises the starting teacher salary to about $77,000, according to both the district and the union, which represents about 37,000 educators.
District leaders say the salary increase amounts to 11.65%, while union leaders say the average increase is close to 13.86%, depending on how it’s calculated.
The district said its agreement with the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles/Teamsters 2010, which represents around 3,000 administrators and principals, calls for a salary increase of 11.65% over two years.
The spokesperson also said the agreement with teachers would carry an ongoing cost of around $650 million and includes additional mental health staffing, reduced class sizes in 11th and 12th grades, and four weeks of paid parental leave.
