State superintendent to join teacher strike negotiations at New Haven Unified School District

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State Supt. Tony Thurmond will join the contract talks on Friday in the New Haven Unified School District to help end a strike.

Negotiations went late into the night Thursday, and there’s still no dea.

The union and district proposals are still far apart as the strike is now at the end of its second week.

The district is offering a one-time 3-percent bonus and and a 2 percent pay raise next year.

The teachers union is asking for a cost of living adjustment – 3.7 cost of living increase this year and another 3.26 percent for the coming school year.

“The district is willing to stretch,” said district spokesman John Mattos. “We're willing to get uncomfortable to close this deal. But I think if we go much above,  the community needs to know there will be cuts.”  

Joe Ku’e Angeles, teachers union president, said: “We think that things can be handled in the best way possible, that those kinds of serious cuts may not have to happen." 

The district says 91 percent of the total budget is people's salaries so cuts are likely unavoidable.