From the very beginning, the UTLA did everything to prevent a strike,
dragging the negotiating process over 20 months, ignoring the 98
percent mandate to strike, and submitting to endless state mediation and
fact-finding.
Facing increasing pressure from rank-and-file teachers, the UTLA was
ultimately compelled to call a strike for January 10. Three days before,
however, UTLA president Alex Caputo-Pearl announced the union was
dropping the teachers’ most critical demands opposing the expansion of
charter schools, unlimited standardized testing and other schemes used
to privatize education. Caputo-Pearl tried to justify this capitulation
by claiming the union had no choice but to accept LAUSD’s position that
such issues were outside of collective bargaining.
Then the UTLA announced it was postponing the January 10 strike date
to January 14. When it became clear the teachers’ commitment to fight
had become even stronger, the UTLA called the walkout on January 14.
Although there was widespread public support, it was clear the UTLA had
no intention to wage the type of battle that teachers were demanding.
Although it had not struck in 30 years, the union provided no benefits
from its multi-million-dollar strike fund.
-- Alan Gilman, "How the UTLA orchestrated the betrayal of Los Angeles teachers" (WSWS).