L.A. teachers union, district reach deal on furloughs

Los Angeles teachers union officials have agreed to accept furlough days to help defray the city school district's estimated $408-million budget shortfall, officials announced Friday.

Several other labor groups had accepted furlough days, and district leaders had been pressing officials with United Teachers Los Angeles to agree to the unpaid days off.

Teachers have taken furlough days, which essentially amount to a pay cut, for the last two years, but union officials insisted earlier this week that there were other ways to trim the deficit.

Under the deal, which still must be approved by the union membership, teachers will take four furlough days, which would save about 3,400 jobs.

If the district's financial picture is better than expected, the number of furlough days will shrink. If the district's financial picture worsens, then teachers could be required to take up to six unpaid days off.

The other unions also would have fewer furlough days if the budget improves.

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-- Jason Song 

Photo: Hundreds of students, teachers and parents gathered May 13 in Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles to protest proposed state budget cuts. Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times