UNION CALLS FOR ACTION BY ITS TEACHERS MEMBERS URGED TO BOYCOTT MEETINGS, ACTIVITIES.

Byline: NAUSH BOGHOSSIAN Staff Writer

In its first major job action amid ongoing contract negotiations, Los Angeles Unified's teachers union on Friday called for its 48,000 members to boycott faculty meetings and unpaid after-school activities.

The boycotts are scheduled to begin at Tuesday's faculty meeting, roughly one month before United Teachers Los Angeles has scheduled a strike-authorization vote.

Union officials said the moves will not affect educational programs or children but are designed to step up pressure on the district to lower class size; give teachers, parents and others more control; and give teachers and health and human service professionals a raise.

UTLA President A.J. Duffy said that while contract talks are continuing, the union is still proceeding with strike preparations.

``There is some movement at the table -- some good, some not good. I'm cautiously optimistic that we might be able to reach a settlement that would be good for teachers and health and human service professionals,'' Duffy said. ``But at the same time, I'm still gearing up for a strike; I'm still gearing up for actions.''

Duffy hired former UTLA and CTA President Wayne Johnson as a consultant for negotiations. Johnson orchestrated a nine-day LAUSD strike in 1989 that garnered teachers a 24 percent pay raise over three years.

But teachers took a 10 percent pay cut in 1992 when the district ran into financial trouble.

In current talks, the district offered a 3 percent raise but the union countered with 7 percent retroactive to July 1 and 2 percent starting in February, Duffy said. The average annual salary for an LAUSD teacher is $56,652.

School board President Marlene Canter called union plans for boycotts ``inappropriate'' and ``distracting'' and said it sends the wrong message when talks are progressing.

Both sides had agreed to meet four days next week to try to reach a resolution.

``I think it's so inappropriate for them to have job actions while we're making progress at the negotiating table,'' she said. ``I feel it's misleading to the public and particularly teachers who are not at the negotiating table and makes them feel like there is no progress when there is.''

But Duffy said the boycotts will continue every Tuesday until further notice from union leadership.

``We're going to take actions to send a clear message to the district that they need to pay attention to the professionals that do the job for them,'' Duffy said. ``They can't nickel-and-dime us anymore. It's time the financial priorities of this district are turned around so most of the money goes to the school sites and the classrooms.''

naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com

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