Teachers Rally for Raises

Members of the United Teachers of Pasadena rallied at City Hall on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022 for higher wages as negotiations with the Pasadena Unified School District stalled. [Eddie Rivera / Pasadena Now]

[Updated] As negotiations continue toward a scheduled upcoming vote next week, hundreds of members of United Teachers of Pasadena (UTP) held a rally at City Hall Saturday, demanding a 12% raise in the next year’s contract.

Union President Jonathan Gardner said Saturday, “We’re here to draw a line in the sand about the fact that we need a competitive and rational settlement with the District.”

According to Gardner, the District received a 13% cost of living adjustment in its State funding this year, which UTP requested in May. The District returned with an offer of 8%, which the UTP refused.

“That’s below inflation,” said Gardner.

The union then demanded 12%, and the District responded with a 9% offer.

UTP’s 777 members represent nearly 90% of the Pasadena Unified School District workforce, said Gardner, representing teachers, nurses, librarians, psychologists, and speech and language pathologists.

Gardner said that the District has $70 million in its reserve accounts, and could “definitely” afford the raises the union is demanding, adding that PUSD teacher salaries are currently $9,000 below the LA County average.

“Our teachers need to be able to pay for basics,” Gardner added. “Having an offer that is below [the inflation rate] is completely unacceptable.”