The teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District will determine if a strike is necessary or if mediation can help them resolve their contract dispute.  A state mediation process has already begun following a declaration by the union that there was an impasse in negotiations among the two groups.

According to Alex Caputo-Pearl, President of United Teachers Los Angeles met with the LAUSD Superintendent recently to discuss the issues in person. 

According to the superintendent, there was some common ground found.  However, the district continues to offer only a two percent raise over the course of the next three years.   This is the same deal offered to other LAUSD employee unions.  The two agreed they can meet again in the future to further discuss issues before the mediation sessions will begin in September.

Caputo-Pearl gave a different account of the situation to the Los Angeles Times.   According to him, the district was delaying the mediation and the superintendent “interfered with the strike vote. ” He reported the in-person meeting was not effective or productive and there is no reason to believe after the meeting that the two sides are closer to an agreement.   He reported, “There is no outline of a deal.  Nothing could be further from the truth. ”

In response to the statements from the union president, the district issued a public statement claiming it is waiting to hear from the mediators on a date for mediation officially, but they are willing to accept the date proposed at the end of September.