It has been almost eight and a half years since the last time teachers had a raise. Now they are standing up for what they believe in again.

Eight and a half years ago, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) proposed a new contract demanding, higher salaries, smaller class sizes, school cleanliness, health and human services ratios, due process for housed teachers, and an expanded role for local school leadership councils, none of which have been implemented.

“I have worked for LAUSD for 17 years and when they first proposed about eight years ago we haven’t seen a raise, even though the economy is a lot better,” Spanish teacher Glenda Hurtado said.

However since then, UTLA has not been able to persuade the District into signing the contract.

After 18 meetings since July 2014, both LAUSD and UTLA still can’t find a common ground to solve the issue.

On Feb. 19, UTLA declared an impasse in their negotiation with LAUSD. Now that the impasses has been declared UTLA have to file a request with Public Employment Relations Board to be the third party in their negotiations.

From the day that the impasses have been declared, they have five days to choose a mediator and 20 days to come to an agreement. During this time the negotiations still can continue.

If even with the help of the mediator they can’t reach an agreement the process continues to fact-finding, a process that there are three people chosen from UTLA and one from LAUSD and they come with the report of recommendations.

If  this process takes place and they still are unable to decide, LAUSD will take the unilateral action, meaning that they just give the 5 percent raise. This is also the time that UTLA can legally strike. Which can come with the consequences that are not ideal to teachers, students and even the district.

Due to the sensitivity of the subject, school district board member Tamar Galatzan declined an interview. UTLA hasn’t responded to any phone calls and emails as well.

UTLA had enough and now is being more bold. That in the past few weeks teachers have been picketing in streets and handing out flyers outside of schools and planning a rally.

UTLA started asking for a 17 percent raise and now they are down to an 8.5 percent increase, while LAUSD is only offering 5 percent raise. There is an $800 million gap between the two sides. Yet the teachers are refusing to accept anything below the 8.5 percent.

LAUSD have their own reasons for refusing to pay a higher raise. LAUSD is not denying that the teachers in the district get paid less than others in the state of California but the LAUSD teachers have one benefit that others don’t according to district spokesperson Lydia Ramos.

“If they strike we lose all control, then it depends on public opinion,” Ramos said

All LAUSD teachers and their families get a free health and dental package for life that the teachers in the other districts don’t. The district is also claiming that the teachers are asking for more than what LAUSD can provide.

“They want more than we can offer. We did offer them the minimum $50,000 income but UTLA rejected it,” Ramos said.

The only demand that LAUSD is discussing so far is the salary increase., even though the contract clearly stated more than a salary increase.

“The district makes an offer regarding salaries. It is not making offers in other areas we want them to make offers in,” science teacher and last year’s UTLA’s chapter chair Stephen Schaffter said.