L.A. teachers union wins dues increase, vows to battle foes of traditional public education
Alex Caputo-Pearl
L.A. teachers union President Alex Caputo-Pearl greets people after a 2014 news conference calling for smaller class sizes, fully staffed schools and higher pay for educators. On Wednesday, the union won an internal election over raising dues to pursue these goals. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Angeles teachers have overwhelmingly agreed to raise their membership duesafter union leaders said they needed more money to battle the growth of non-union charter schools and other challenges to the traditional public education system.
The votes were tallied Wednesday at United Teachers Los Angeles headquarters in Koreatown after members mailed in ballots and cast votes online. Eighty-two percent of those who cast ballots supported the dues increase.
Union President Alex Caputo Pearl said the 30% increase in dues is needed, in part, to fight well-funded opponents, including foundations and wealthy donors who have bankrolled efforts to limit teacher job protections and spur the growth of charter schools.
Charters are independently operated and currently enroll about 101,000 students in Los Angeles. Because funding is tied to student attendance, a panel of independent experts recently concluded that charter growth could push the L.A. Unified School District into insolvency or force severe cutbacks.
The union and other critics also have asserted that charters serve fewer of the types of public school students who may be more difficult or more expensive to educate because of disabilities, a lack of English language skills or other learning issues.
Charter supporters say their schools provide options that are popular with parents and helpful to students.
Most of the union’s 32,000 members are teachers, but UTLA also represents school nurses, counselor and psychologists. Teachers will now pay nearly $1,000 per year in L.A. teachers union wins dues increase, vows to battle foes of traditional public education - LA Times:
