If the two dueling parties can't come to some settlement in the coming days, teachers from the La Habra City School District may be on the picket lines in the very near future.
So far, the La Habra Education Association, which represents the teachers, and representatives from LHCSD have yet to come close to a compromise or agreement–right now, according to Danette Brown, president of LHEA, the two sides can't even get to the table.
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“[The district] made public statements saying they wouldn't go back to the table unless they had a formal letter,” Brown said. “We sent out a press release today that has our letter from Nov. 29 … we're saying, just give us a date.”
LHEA is fighting to overturn a school board decision from Nov. 18 to permanently cut teacher salaries, benefits and compensated work days.
The cost-cutting vote came despite a neutral Fact Finding Report, the results of which both parties had initially agreed to honor, only to have the school board renege on said agreement based on the favorable results in favor of the teachers.
If this story sounds familiar, it's because the same sort of two-party stare-down transpired in the Capistrano Unified School District, which resulted in a week of empty classrooms and teachers taking to the curb with posters, chants and the occasional YouTube video.
Brown has indicated in press releases this week that “[LHEA is] in the strike prepartion process now,” though an exact date for teachers to leave their classrooms is not yet set. Brown and the teachers are still hoping an agreement will be reached before that must happen.
The disagreement isn't a last-minute happening, according to Brown. Negotiations have been on-going for nearly 15 months. LHEA has pointed to the districts' $8.2 million in reserve funds as a means to prevent the cost-cutting measures.
Late afternoon calls were put into the LHCSD for comment, but no one could be reached.
One La Habra-area parent who spoke with the Weekly, said his kids, who attend Walnut Elementary, were sent home early today based on rumors that the teachers were going on strike.
