LOS ANGELES, CA – One the first day of the United Teachers Los Angeles strike, educators are already lining up despite the heavy rain Monday morning.
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Protesters are gearing up at Taft High School in the Woodland Hills. Teachers, parents, and locals wave their signs calling for changes in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
The issues between both parties include the district's $1.8 billion surplus, which the union believes could be used to increase teacher's pay to 6.5 percent, hire more support staff, and reduce class sizes. The district said they are already running a deficit, and cannot afford to meet the union's demands.
“We are LA,” and “Let’s do it for the students” are chants that can be heard across a UTLA press conference just before 8 a.m.
Doors will be open at the Harbor City Recreation Center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to house LAUSD students.
A hotline has been established by the district to answer questions from parents, and the community. The hotline will be staffed from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. week days. The number is 213-443-1300.
UTLA represents 33,000 teachers in the LAUSD. A total of 26,000 teaches were on the picket line on Monday.
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