The Los Angeles teachers’ union is demanding a 20 percent pay raise over the next two years for LA Unified School District (LAUSD) teachers, citing stress from living costs and COVID-19 pandemic learning loss.
United Teachers of LA (UTLA)—which has 35,000 members—held three simultaneous rallies across the district Dec. 5.
At the rally, UTLA president Cecily Myart-Cruz said high costs of living and housing in LA are untenable.
“When you can’t even afford to live [where] you work, we’ve got a problem,” she said.
Striking teachers and supporters rally in Grand Park across from City Hall after the teacher’s union reached a tentative deal with the Los Angeles Unified School District in Los Angeles on Jan. 22, 2019 (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)
In addition to increased wages, the union—which has been in negotiations with LAUSD since May—is requesting reduced class sizes and less standardized testing….