El Camino Real Charter High Educators on Strike for Better Pay

After months of negotiations for better pay, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) educators at El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills began their strike on Monday, Feb. 10, and said they plan to do so until an agreement is reached with management.

More than 130 teachers have joined the picket line to demand increased wages, with approximately another 70 community members, including parents and students, joining them. About 96% of certified educators at the school are members of the teacher’s union, UTLA.

Teachers are picketing in the morning from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and in the afternoon between 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The school is still operating during the strike and is utilizing substitute teachers but it is not known how many.

Teachers at the school have been working without a contract since July 1, 2024, and have said the administration is not keeping their promise to pay them 6% above the median salary of teachers in the LA Unified School District (LAUSD) – an agreement that was made in 2011 as an incentive for teachers to vote for the charter school to disconnect from the district.

Carlos Monroy, a special education (SPED) English teacher and UTLA chapter co-chair, in a previous interview prior to this week’s strike, told the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol that they were making almost 10% less than their LAUSD counterparts.

However, on Feb. 5, school administrators announced a 15% salary increase for teachers in the 2024-25 school year, which they said is “one of the highest raises in the state.” If accepted, the teachers’ starting salary would be $73,067 annually, with the maximum salary reaching $126,965.

This announcement for teacher’s salaries came after the administration was approved to receive a 15% salary increase retroactive to July 1, 2024, at a December Board of Directors meeting.

UTLA Wants a Schedule for Future Raises 

UTLA, meanwhile, is demanding a 6% salary increase over the next two years, totaling a 21% pay increase, as well as retiree-dependent benefits.

“This isn’t just about a fair contract – it’s about respect, dignity, and the quality education our students deserve,” Monroy said in a statement. “A strong contract isn’t just for educators; it’s a commitment to students and their futures. The administration and board promised to prioritize their success, yet after months of inaction, they’ve failed to follow through.”

Brad Wright, chair of the school’s Board of Directors, said teachers can voice their concerns about being underpaid, which he acknowledges is an issue nationwide. At the same time, he said that the administration has a fiduciary responsibility to keep the school alive and they can’t promise to give more than what they currently have.

As stated in a press release, the charter school is legally required to maintain a balanced budget “to protect the school’s long-term sustainability” and is prohibited from spending more than its revenue. If the school went into the red by spending more than they were earning – LAUSD could revoke their charter and close the school.

“I believe no other school in the nation is paying 15% upfront,” Wright said. “Everybody has a right to express themselves, and I appreciate that, but you can’t do that at the peril of the whole shop closing.”

During a January board meeting, citing a drop in enrollment, a resolution was approved to potentially cut 44 credentialed positions – including five counselors, five English teachers, one school psychologist and nine SPED teachers. The projected enrollment numbers for the current school year are 2,937 students, down from 3,171 in the 2023-24 school year.

UTLA teachers have said that this move was done as a scare tactic to dissuade them from striking. Wright explained this was done in order to follow a law in California where school districts must notify employees if there is a possibility they could lose their jobs if the school needed to hold layoffs by March 15. The administration asked for approval to be able to lay off some teachers, he continued, but it’s not a guarantee this will occur.

While 44 positions were the maximum given, Wright is adamant the school will not lay off that many educators, and any pink slips they give out can also be rescinded.

“All my teachers are important. The last thing I want is anybody to lose their job,” Wright said. “These people have babies, mortgages, they have things to do but I want them to feel comfortable and that’s why I agree with them expressing themselves.”

Although Wright maintains he’s in support of the teachers’ right to strike, he refutes the notion that it’s not about money, pointing out that the current offer places them as the highest-paid teachers in Southern California, but they can’t take a leap of faith and give them more when they don’t know what will happen in the school’s financial future.

“We made our deal. Anything else [and] the school could close,” Wright said. “I’m not going to let these people out here that are striking lose their jobs because we were fiscally mismanaging [our budget].”

The school is offering to meet with UTLA on Friday, Feb. 14, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. to continue negotiations.