TEACHERS OK 6% RAISE, DECRY GLITCH IN PAYROLL CHECKS.

Byline: NAUSH BOGHOSSIAN

Staff Writer

After announcing Thursday that it had ratified a 6 percent pay raise, the union representing Los Angeles Unified School District teachers renewed demands that the school district fix a payroll glitch that has affected about 20,000 employees.

A.J. Duffy, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, said about half of the union's 48,000 members cast ballots, and 90 percent of them voted in favor of the contract. The salary hike is retroactive to July 1, and raises for the next two years of the three-year contract still must be negotiated.

But Duffy used the news conference to blast LAUSD administrators about their troubled payroll system, threatening protests and jobs actions unless the problems are rectified soon.

"You don't mess with people's money," said Duffy, who called for an independent investigation of the problems. "People work hard at this district. They have been cheated by this district.

"We want to know who's to blame, who's at fault. The problems they have may very well be the tip of the iceberg."

The $95 million computerized payroll system purchased from SAP Public Services has caused massive headaches for the district and thousands of teachers since it was launched Feb. 5. Among the teachers' complaints is that they aren't being paid for vacation or sick time taken or for all the hours they've worked.

LAUSD officials say SAP did a better job in issuing checks early this month, but Duffy said the problems are as severe as they were in February. The union has filed a claim -- the precursor to a lawsuit -- demanding that the district pay late fees, finance charges and similar costs related to teachers' paycheck problems.

The influential teachers union is also talking to state lawmakers about sponsoring a bill that would require teachers be paid interest for overdue payroll funds.

"We're going to lay out a number of demands that need to be met in a short but reasonable amount of time, after which, if they aren't, we're going to take severe action, which may include boycotts of school activities, rallies and marches," Duffy said.

Carlos Velez, the plant manager at Garfield High School, has grown increasingly frustrated with the payroll problem. He's received four erroneous paychecks, including one for just $24.17 -- a check that was supposed to include two weeks' salary, plus overtime.

Velez said he's contacted the school, the district and the union, but no one has a solution.

"None of them have been able to fix my problem and I don't think they know how to fix my problem," Velez said. "I'd like to see somebody give us the time of day to explain to us what they're doing for us, how they're going to fix it and, most importantly, when is the problem going to be fixed."

Chuck Burbridge, the district's chief financial officer, said he's ordered steps taken in the next 30 to 45 days, including intensive training sessions. He also expressed disappointment at the UTLA's stance, saying administrators have made it clear that problems will take a few months to solve.

"(Former Superintendent Roy Romer) reminded people to stay the course and help us push the wagon up the hill and don't throw stones in the way," he said.

naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com

[phone]