Members of United Teachers-Los Angeles (UT-LA) elected union vice-president John Perez to the presidency yesterday, defeating the more moderate Becki Robinson---also a vice-president in the union---by a margin of just under one percent. The choice may have a significant impact on currently ongoing contract negotiations between the UT-LA and the City of Los Angeles if a settlement is not reached before President-elect Perez takes office on July 1. The 47,000 member UT-LA is asking for a five percent raise for LA teachers this year, but the city is balking at the cost of such a raise as it is already facing a budget deficit.
See "Teachers Pick Tough New Union Leader", DUKE HELFAND, Los Angeles Times, April 9, 2002