LOS ANGELES – The United Teachers Los Angeles union obviously wants its cut of the state’s recent tax increase for high-income residents, as illustrated by its ridiculous proposal for a 17.6 percent raise for LA teachers and other school employees.

“UTLA is tired of (the LA school district’s) rhetoric without action on pay increases for employees, smaller class sizes, and full staffing. The union’s governing body approved a salary increase demand of 17.6 % on Wednesday, along with a package of demands including smaller class sizes, restoration of early education and adult education programs, and full staffing – brining back counselors, nurses, librarians, and other Health and Human services professionals,” the union wrote in a press release.

“The union plans to bring the demands to the bargaining table as soon as possible.”

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UTLA officials have clearly had dollar signs dancing in their heads since voters approved Proposition 30 – which increased taxes for education spending – in November 2012. The state’s teachers unions at the time argued the increased funding was needed to keep schools in the black as the economy recovers.

Education reform advocates, including EAGnews, argued the money would likely end up lining the pockets of unionized teachers and school administrators, with little left over for other student needs.

Apparently, UTLA feels they’ve waited the appropriate amount of time to come back to school officials with their hand out, and they’re expecting a raise most taxpayers would find utterly preposterous.

The union hasn’t successfully negotiated a new teachers contract with the school district since 2011 and its obvious UTLA officials expect to cash in this year.

“It’s been more than a year since California voters approved Proposition 30, the tax increase that is bringing millions of new dollars into the district,” the union wrote in its press release, according to LA School Report. “For the 2013-14 school year, LAUSD’s per-pupil allocation increased 5.8%, and under the Governor’s new proposed budget, a 10% per-pupil increase is expected in 2014-15.”

The union wants the public to believe LA school employees haven’t had a raise since 2007, but that’s not accurate. Most educators receive annual “step increases” for each year they teach in the school district, on top of any across-the-board raise negotiated by UTLA.

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Regardless, a 17 percent raise is an absurd suggestion, and only exposes the union’s true motivation for campaigning to pass Prop 30 in 2012. The increased funding wasn’t to prevent teacher layoffs, or to preserve student programs, or for classroom supplies. In the UTLA’s mind, tax increases equal employee raises, first and foremost.

The union likely is taking cue from its sister union in Chicago, which proposed an unheard of 30 percent raise during its last round of negotiations in 2011, and followed up with a massive teachers strike until school officials agreed to pay increases averaging about 4.4 percent annually for four years, the Wall Street Journal reported.

While UTLA didn’t disclose a timeline for its proposed pay hike – whether it’s for a single year or spread across several – it’s clear union officials plan on squeezing all they can get out of the increased state revenue, or giving it one heck of a try.

That probably means labor relations are about to get ugly in the City of Angels.