On Thursday, workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District ended a three-day strike. It is not clear if any progress was made in negotiations for higher pay for teachers’ aides, bus drivers, custodians and other support staff in the nation’s second-largest school system.
Teachers joined the picket lines in solidarity, shutting down instruction for the district’s half-million students during the walkout by members of Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union. Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union represents about 30,000 of the lowest-paid school workers. Support staffers earn, on average, about $25,000 a year in Los Angeles, barely enough to get by in one of the most expensive cities in America.
Mayor Karen Bass stepped in as mediator Wednesday after district Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho accused the union of refusing to negotiate. Max Arias, the executive director of SEIU Local 99, expressed gratitude for Bass’s assistance in “finding a path out of our current impasse.” As of Thursday, there was no indication of the arbitration’s progress. “Education workers have always been eager to negotiate as long as we are treated with respect and bargained with fairly, and with the mayor’s leadership we believe that is possible,” Arias said.
Carvalho characterized the school district’s offer as “historic.” The offer comprises a cumulative 23% raise, commencing with a retroactive 2% for the 2020-21 school year and concluding with 5% in 2024-25. Those who have been on the job for more than a year would also receive a one-time 3% bonus. Additionally, the package would increase the number of full-time positions and extend health care benefits.
Sofia Munoz, a special education teacher’s assistant, said she hoped the labor action sent a message to Carvalho. “We’re hoping just to bring awareness and let the superintendent know that we’re here to make a difference,” Munoz said Thursday at a rally marking the strike’s final day.
Los Angeles – Statement from School District
The school district confirmed in a statement Wednesday that school officials have been in talks with union leaders with help from mayor.
“We continue to do everything possible to reach an agreement that honors the hard work of our employees, corrects historical inequities, maintains the financial stability of the district and brings students back to the classroom,” the statement said.
The union announced that employees, including special education assistants, cafeteria workers, and gardeners, would return to work on Friday.
The strike brought attention to the issue of underpaid workers who are the backbone of schools across the country.
SEIU Local 99 claimed that many of its members live in poverty due to low pay or limited work hours, while struggling with inflation and the high cost of housing. The union is requesting a 30% raise for workers.
Troy Flint, spokesperson for the California School Board Association, stated that while the Los Angeles Unified School District is unique due to its size, other systems in the state could learn from the walkout.
“LAUSD could be the canary in the coalmine when you look at the potential for difficult labor negotiations in school districts across California,” he said.
Flint stated that districts are dealing with staff shortages and other challenges that were worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. They are also striving to resolve longstanding issues such as student performance that existed prior to the pandemic. Additionally, he mentioned that emergency pandemic funding from the state was scheduled to expire next year. This would put a further strain on district finances, which have been underfunded for decades
“It’s natural that employees want to better compensated for their important work,” Flint said. “There is a lot of tension between what districts want to do and what they have the capacity to do.”
Leaders of United Teachers of Los Angeles, which represents 35,000 educators, counselors and other staff, pledged solidarity with the strikers.
Experts say it is unusual for different unions in the same school district to band together but the unified labor action in Los Angeles could mark an inflection point.
Luz Varela, a teacher’s aide, said workers felt like they had to strike.
“I feel sad that we have to go through this because we’re missing our kids, but we’re doing this for our kids,” she said. “I feel that we deserve a little bit more. It’s not all about the money. This is about our future for our kids.”
