L.A. Unified to Send 5,200 Layoff Notices

March 3, 2010

The Southland’s largest school district, like many others in the region, is moving forward with teacher layoffs. Los Angeles Unified’s board of education voted today to send 5,200 provisional layoff notices to district employees.

About half of those notices will go to managers who hold teaching credentials. Most of the rest wi ll go to elementary school teachers, nurses, librarians and counselors.

 The district’s proposed the cuts to close a $640 million funding deficit next year. Several board members suggested before the vote that the district’s labor unions hold the key to rescinding many of the Reduction In Force notices before they become permanent in the summer.

Board member Richard Vladovic said he’d force a compromise if he could. "I would lock this group of union leaders and district officials and decision makers in a room and say you can’t leave until you help us find some solutions as an alternative to RIFing our employees."

Administrators suggested unpaid days off and salary cuts. L.A. Unified’s smaller unions have accepted unpaid days off.

United Teachers Los Angeles, the district’s largest union by far, has not. In a statement, the teachers union said it’s begun concession talks with the school district. Union leaders called on administrators to leave no district program unscrutinized.