UTLA File Unfair Practice Charge Against LAUSD

LOS ANGELES — United Teachers Los Angeles or UTLA, which represents over 34,000 employees, Aug. 8, formally filed an unfair practice charge alleging the Los Angeles Unified School District violated the Educational Employment Relations Act or EERA. On April 22, 2022, LAUSD publicly announced “four additional days for accelerated academic opportunities,” without providing notice and an opportunity for the union to bargain as required by the EERA. Four days later, the district board unanimously approved the extended calendar without negotiating with the union, and has failed to meaningfully engage the union in negotiations on this subject since then. These four optional “Accelerated Days” are optional for all students and for all C-Basis employees — about 80% of UTLA members. The district chose to add these “accelerated days” without first consulting with parents, teachers or other school workers. 

The district has overstepped legal boundaries by failing to include the tens of thousands of teachers, nurses, counselors and support staff in determining the best way for the LAUSD community to manage post-COVID recovery. These optional days will cost the district an estimated $122 million. 

The district also failed to respond appropriately to UTLA leadership who raised multiple practical concerns about the district’s proposal, which included staffing the proposed optional days, consequences for students who don’t attend, and the impact on teachers’ performance evaluation for those who opt not to participate. 

UTLA is calling on the California Public Employment Relations Board or PERB to promptly investigate these charges and have LAUSD immediately withdraw its four accelerated days and return to the status quo.