District’s Bid to Sue Teacher Union Fails

A state board has denied a Los Angeles Unified School District request to take United Teachers-Los Angeles to court over the union’s boycott of some regular teacher duties.

The district, which is engaged in tough negotiations with teachers over a new contract, had asked the state Public Employment Relations Board to seek a court injunction to halt the boycott that began in September. Many teachers are refusing to perform such duties as yard supervision, faculty and parent meetings, filing copies of report cards with school offices and, in elementary grades, turning in complete attendance records.

Basis of Decision

The five-member board, which has the authority to intervene in labor disputes affecting public agencies, turned down the district’s request late Tuesday, stating only that it was deemed not to be “just and proper” at the present time.

“When a party seeks injunctive relief, it really has to show this is something quite extraordinary,” Christine Bologna, general counsel for the board, said Wednesday. The board’s decision not to go to court for the district “is not intended as a statement on the merits or demerits of either party’s position.”

Nonetheless, teachers union President Wayne Johnson said the decision “vindicates what we have been doing. The district went in and said we are causing irreparable damage to the kids. Obviously, (the state employment board) agreed with teachers and disagreed with the district.”

School board President Roberta Weintraub said the district will continue to press unfair labor practice charges against the union. The district alleges that the boycott is unlawful and could result in students not receiving essential services. Last week, it began to dock the paychecks of teachers who participated in job actions.

Union’s Response

The union, in turn, announced Wednesday that it has asked its lawyers to file unfair practice charges against the district for allegedly instructing principals not to hold meetings with teachers who have filed grievances on the docking of pay. Johnson said about 5,000 of the district’s 32,000 teachers have filed formal complaints so far.

Negotiations for a new contract have deadlocked over such key issues as pay and broader authority for teachers over school affairs. The appointment of a state mediator to help resolve the dispute is expected soon.