Thousands of workers and teachers in Los Angeles, the second largest school district in the US, have gone on strike over stalled contract negotiations, leading to over 1,000 schools closing and leaving over 500,000 students without classes. The 35,000 teachers have been joined by members of the Service Employees International Union Local 99, including teachers’ aides, special education assistants, bus drivers, custodians and cafeteria workers.
Striking workers are demanding better wages and increased staffing. They claim that wages have deteriorated and that many of them are earning “poverty wages” of $25,000 a year and are calling for a 30% pay raise with an additional boost for the lowest-paid employees. They also blame the District’s reliance on low-wage, part-time workers for the staffing shortage.
LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho had offered the union a 5% wage increase retroactive to July 2021, a 5% increase retroactive to July 2022 and another 5% increase effective July 2023, which rose to a 23% increase with a 3% “cash-in-hand bonus”. However, the union has declined to negotiate with the district and instead is engaged in the impasse process with the State.
In response, the Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has expressed her support for the families affected by the strike, promising to provide resources to those in need. This strike follows the 2019 six-day strike by teachers calling for smaller class sizes and pay increases.