Tentative pact would restore some LAUSD clerks, library aides
-- Howard Blume | LA Times/LA Now | http://lat.ms/rp9UFT
September 26, 2011 | 7:13 pm - Under mounting public pressure and amid worry about unmanageable campuses, Los Angeles Unified School District officials and a union representing non-teaching employees announced a tentative agreement Monday that is expected to restore close to 400 financial managers, clerical staff and library aides.
<< Photo: Library aide Mary Bates reads "The Giving Tree" to students at Burton Elementary in Panorama City. Credit: Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times
The agreement, which falls well short of a full restoration, must be ratified by the Board of Education and Local 500 of the California School Employees Assn. Union negotiators also agreed to four furlough days.
“I’m very pleased that we were able to get to this and save valuable employees,” said L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy.
The district “started to recognize the chaos that's going to happen at schools,” said Espie Medellin, president of Local 500.
| “Much of the recent parent anger over the cuts has been directed at the closing of elementary school libraries. Some of those positions will be restored, but Deasy said other priorities may take precedence, such as middle school financial managers and clerical staff needed to keep schools operating.”
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The district laid off nearly 800 workers as of Friday; their health benefits expire at the end of the month. Bringing many of them back to work could take several weeks.
The district has pledged $8 million toward job restorations. Some of the funds will come from $55 million unspent from last year’s budget, Deasy said. He added that most of that money needs to be held in reserve because of potential midyear cuts in state funding.
Much of the recent parent anger over the cuts has been directed at the closing of elementary school libraries. Some of those positions will be restored, but Deasy said other priorities may take precedence, such as middle school financial managers and clerical staff needed to keep schools operating.
Non-teaching employees in Local 500 have seen their numbers shrink to about half in recent years. They’ve also adjusted to shorter work years and reduced workdays. But the deal will include an effort to keep part-time employees working at least four hours a day -- the threshold for health benefits.
“Health benefits for these families is critical,” said union field representative Connie Moreno.
LAUSD OKs rehiring hundreds of clerks, aides
By Connie Llanos, Staff Writer | LA Daily News from Contra Cota Times | http://bit.ly/qqByat
9/27/2011 01:00:00 AM PDT - Los Angeles Unified agreed Monday to rehire hundreds of office clerks and library aides under a tentative agreement reached with the union representing support staff, district officials announced.
Under the tentative agreement with the California School Employees Association, the district would allocate $8 million to fund the rehiring of support staff, with the district selecting which positions would be restored.
Los Angeles Unified had come under fire from parents and community members for laying off more than 1,100 workers last week in a cost-cutting move. The laid-off workers include 450 office clerks and technicians and 230 library aides.
"I am very pleased that we were able to come to an agreement with CSEA that will enable our schools to retain essential and valuable staff members," Superintendent John Deasy said in a statement. "Retention of many of these employees is critical if our schools are to provide the best possible education to the students of the LAUSD."
If ratified by CSEA members, the agreement requires workers to take at least four unpaid furlough days between January and June, officials said.
"The hard work of the CSEA members and concerned parents, who sounded the alarm over excessive cuts in LAUSD, has paid off with $8 million worth of job restorations in our schools," said Espie Medellin, president of CSEA Chapter 500. "Our members and community allies will continue their campaign for a sensible allocation of scarce resources.
LAUSD, CSEA reach tentative deal to restore jobs
The Associated Press from the Sacramento Bee | http://bit.ly/rtBIom
Monday, Sep. 26, 2011 - 8:27 pm - LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles school district and a union representing non-teaching employees have announced a tentative agreement that could restore hundreds of jobs.
In a statement Monday, the district says the agreement with the California School Employees Association would restore $8 million worth of positions which could include library aides, school financial managers and clerical staff. The statement says the district will designate the positions to be restored.
The district laid off nearly 800 workers as of Friday.
LA schools superintendent John Deasy (DAY'-zee) says he's "very pleased" that they were able to reach an agreement that will allow schools to retain valuable employees.
Union negotiators also agreed to four furlough days.
The agreement must be ratified by the Board of Education and Local 500 of the CSEA.
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