Los Angeles Unified Principals Vote to Join Teamsters Union, Citing Overworked and Underpaid Status
Los Angeles Unified school principals have voted to join the Teamsters union, citing the intense pressure to raise student achievement, manage complex budgets, and keep campuses safe as the reason. The 85% of voting members, who include principals and other mid-level administrators, have chosen to unionize, giving them a collective bargaining power to negotiate with the district leadership.
Principals Say Pressure is Too Great
Principals have been complaining about the workload and the lack of support from the district leadership. According to Maria Nichols, president of the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles, “What I hear from the field is people want out, people want to retire early, and they don’t feel supported. It’s task upon task upon task. They’re overworked and on overload.”
60-Hour Workweeks
All of the principals complained about the workload and the pressure to meet performance targets. In a recent member survey, half of the members were working 50 hours a week, and the other half were working 60-hour weeks. Extra duty pay had been more routinely available for many administrators, but it was eliminated under the new district leadership.
Reaching this Point Once Seemed Unlikely
Principals were once a part of the management team and benefited from an informal policy where the powerful teachers union would agitate for wage hikes, and other district employees would get the same raise without having to fight for it. However, this system has begun to break down. The most recent teacher raises were sizable, but it was not enough to satisfy the separate union that represents the district’s lowest-paid employees, including teacher aides and cafeteria workers.
Conclusion
The vote by the Los Angeles Unified school principals to join the Teamsters union is a significant development in the district’s labor landscape. The unionization will give them a collective bargaining power to negotiate with the district leadership and address the issues of overwork, underpayment, and lack of support. The move is seen as a response to the district’s increasing demands on school administrators, including the pressure to raise student achievement, manage complex budgets, and keep campuses safe.
FAQs
Q: What is the reason behind the Los Angeles Unified school principals’ decision to join the Teamsters union?
A: The reason is the intense pressure to raise student achievement, manage complex budgets, and keep campuses safe, leading to overwork and underpayment.
Q: What is the percentage of voting members who chose to unionize?
A: 85% of voting members chose to unionize.
Q: What is the range of salaries for Los Angeles Unified school administrators?
A: The range of salaries for Los Angeles Unified school administrators is from $80,000 to $195,000, depending on the job and experience.
Q: What is the purpose of the Teamsters union?
A: The purpose of the Teamsters union is to provide collective bargaining power to its members and negotiate with the district leadership to address issues such as overwork, underpayment, and lack of support.
