FAQs

No.

The differential is for other administrative duties that we perform. It is NOT linked in any way to our staying 30 minutes after school. All TLs receive a $500 differential twice per year in January and June.

Consult with your chapter chair.

Consult with your chapter chair and area rep.  

1. Ask the administrator who is asking you to do this, to email you, in writing,  the request and the justification of how they expect a full-time Teacher Librarian to do another bargaining unit/ union’s job. 

2.  If they still give you a directive in writing, ask for a sit down (or virtual zoom, during pandemic time) meeting with the Chapter Chair (or Area Chair, if the school doesn’t have a Chapter Chair) to discuss this.  Explain how this interferes with your job duties as a teacher librarian (see contract/job description page in this  website for information on that).

3.  Here is a letter from UTLA that may be used in the meetings:  https://bit.ly/3T64JQD

4. If the principal still gives you a directive, arrange for a 2nd meeting with the Chapter Chair and Area Chair, and maybe even UTLA secondary VP.  When not in distance learning you will have to comply (and even then, as long as you are not asked to go to campus). 

5. If not resolved, consider filing a grievance (check and read UTLA grievance filing guidelines and strict deadlines, requirements) and getting additional teachers and parents support to help end this.

6. Keep detailed documentation of total hours worked, specific dates, days, and times worked. At a meeting with the principal and Chapter Chair, present the documentation and demand auxiliary pay, for all of the additional hours worked.  Actually file an official LAUSD time form and request this from the payroll manager at your school. The principal will probably back down before it gets to this point, but If they don’t pay, you could file a PERB and/or lawsuit.

7. "It is a long tough battle, but can ultimately be won (usually) with lots of perseverance and constantly fighting back and standing up for yourself!" -- Teacher Librarian, LAUSD High School

•  25.0  under  ARTICLE XIV SALARIES  ( page 197)   references auxiliary teachers / library media teachers if assigned to teach one additional regular class period each day.  

•  28.0  under  ARTICLE XIV SALARIES  ( page 198)   references replacement pay for teachers / library media teachers if the teacher is absent (auxiliary pay).  

• 28.0  under  ARTICLE XIV SALARIES  ( page 198)   references replacement pay for teachers / library media teachers if the teacher is absent (auxiliary pay).  

Consult with your chapter chair. Our contract explicitly provides us with a conference period. 

• 6.0 of ARTICLE IX: HOURS, DUTIES, AND WORK YEAR guarantees a Conference Period (page 56)

Consult with your chapter chair. Our contract explicitly guarantees a duty-free lunch. It is common practice, but not required, to take our lunch before or after the school's regular lunch period so that the library can be open to students during their lunch. 

• 5.0 of ARTICLE IX: HOURS, DUTIES, AND WORK YEAR guarantees a Duty Free Lunch (page 56)

Reach out to your chapter chair. Ask how you will be compensated for working additional hours beyond your contractual obligation (but only if you want to work overtime). File a grievance with your chapter chair if your administrator persists. 

• Section 3.4 of ARTICLE IX: HOURS, DUTIES, AND WORK YEAR: outlines TL hours (page 53)

Like with any other teacher, these are voluntary duties that you can refuse.

This should be distributed equitably amongst faculty. Some students may need separate spaces for standardized testing and the library is often a convenient place. But, this would be because other classroom teachers are also testing students. 

While REF-5886 STUDENT ENROLLMENT IN SERVICE CLASS (2)(1),  the Bulletin covering service classes, including library practice, is not specific, it implies enrollment should be limited to a few students (one to three) as needed.  

If this request is within contract boundaries, then you should provide the principal with lesson plans and a schedule. It is a good idea to make your calendar public so people can see how the library is being used and scheduled.   Also publishing quarterly or monthly reports or newsletters will help to educate your principal and community about what kind of instruction and literacy programming is happening in your library.