Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
James Jones, a science high school teacher, joins striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees as they rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
On Day One of the three-day Los Angeles Unified School District strike, there was plenty of rallying, chanting and picketing — but no signs of negotiating progress on Tuesday, March 21.
Leaders of SEIU Local 99 — the 30,000-member service worker union representing bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers and special education assistants — announced that the union will continue its walkout for better pay, hours and working conditions on Wednesday.
“Through pouring rain and gusting wind, L.A. Unified School District workers’ resolve to protect our rights is only growing stronger; our right to bargain for wages that feed our families and staffing that supports our students is sacred,” said Yoland Reed, a special education assistant, in a late afternoon statement on Tuesday.
Members of the teachers’ union, United Teachers Los Angeles, will again walk off the job in solidarity with SEIU members on Wednesday. And, the district will continue to offer over 150 student supervision sites in partnership with the City of LA to help support families. The district distributed three days-worth of free food to families on Tuesday. The county’s parks and libraries also offered activities and food.
Earlier on Monday, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho implored labor leaders to return to the bargaining table.
“We remain ready to return to negotiations with SEIU Local 99, so we can provide an equitable contract to our hardworking employees and get our students back in classrooms,” Carvalho said in a Tuesday mid-morning statement.
But, SEIU Local 99 leaders say they have been negotiating unsuccessfully for months and have reached an impasse with the district.
“We are on strike because we’ve had enough,” said SEIU Local 99 President Conrado Guerrero on Tuesday morning. “As a building engineer I was called an essential worker by LAUSD during the pandemic. They seen to have forgotten that. Enough of the disrespect.”
The three-day strike officially began at 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning, triggering a school shutdown for about 420,000 students.
In the dark and early hours of the morning, scores of school bus drivers arrived at the Van Nuys Bus Yard in time for their normal shift, but instead of getting behind the wheel they got into picket lines.
By 7 a.m., the sun had just risen and a crowd of workers gathered outside of Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools in Koreatown for a press conference featuring Rep. Adam Schiff.
“People with some of the most important responsibilities in our schools should not have to live in poverty,” Schiff said. “I am proud to be here. I am proud to support my brothers and sisters in their fight for decent wages.”
The striking workers appeared undeterred by the steady pour, toting umbrellas in one hand and signs bearing slogans like ‘we’re essential every day, we demand respect!’ in the other.
#SEIU workers begin picketing at Robert f Kennedy school in #LosAngeles Tuesday. The Union has called for a three day strike for higher wages. pic.twitter.com/3uWHSs3gzK
The strike is the first major labor disruption for the district since UTLA teachers went on strike for six days in 2019. While both unions are currently seeking contract agreements, this time it is the concerns of SEIU members — who have an average salary of $25,000 — that are at the forefront of the strike.
“Our wages are stuck and it’s not fair. Gas, groceries, everything is going up” said Matilde Hernandez, a special education assistant who has been with the district for almost 30 years. “We shouldn’t have to choose between going to the doctor and paying our bills.”
SEIU is seeking a 30% raise over time, more reliable hours for part-time workers and a crackdown against employee harassment. The district’s latest pay offer is a 23% wage increase over the next few years and a one-time 3% retention bonus.
On Tuesday, Superintendent Carvalho expressed some sympathy for the workers, but maintained that the district’s existing offer was a generous one.
“I understand our employees’ frustration that has been brewing not just for a couple of years, but probably for decades and it is on the basis of recognizing historic inequities that we have put on the table a historic proposal,” he said mid-morning on Tuesday. “This offer addresses the needs and concerns from the union, while also remaining fiscally responsible and keeping the district in a financially stable position.”
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
James Jones, a science high school teacher, joins striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees as they rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
At 1 p.m. on Tuesday a crowd over a thousand strong rallied in front of LAUSD’s Downtown headquarters, filing up the adjacent street with dancing, whistling and calls for Carvalho to come out and face them. The rally was intended to take place during the regularly scheduled School Board meeting, but the district announced on Monday evening that the meeting would be postponed.
By 3 p.m. the crowd had begun to thin out, while a smaller group of union workers remained below the towering LAUSD offices shouting “hey hey, ho ho, Carvalho has got to go.”
The district fought to stave off the strike through 11th-hour bargaining sessions and a legal effort to have the Public Employee Relations Board declare the strike unlawful. Ultimately, neither efforts proved fruitful and labor leaders grew increasingly frustrated with the district.
“The superintendent and district had ample time to bargain in good faith with the unions,” UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz said at Tuesday morning’s press conference. “They could have done that with respect and dignity, but they chose not to do that.”
Carvalho, meanwhile, bemoaned the impact that three days of lost learning will have on thousands of students who are still struggling to recover from the pandemic. The district has provided students with take-home educational packets during the strike and is working in coordination with the city of Los Angeles to offer resources to families.
SEIU workers begin their three-day strike picketing at John F Kennedy School in Los Angeles Tuesday, March 21, 2023. The workers, which include bus drivers, food workers, and janitors, are on a three-day strike for higher wages. The teachers union is also backing the strike. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
“I will make sure the well being of L.A. students always comes first as I continue to work with all parties to reach an agreement to reopen the schools and guarantee fair treatment of all LAUSD workers,” said Mayor Karen Bass on Tuesday.
Available resources include more than 150 student supervision and food distribution sites at school campuses and county parks and recreation centers across Los Angeles. More information on site hours and locations can be found at: https://achieve.lausd.net/schoolupdates/supervision.
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
James Jones, a science high school teacher, joins striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees as they rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Striking Los Angeles Unified School District employees and their supporters, including teachers, rally outside LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during the first day of a three-day strike. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Leslie Cotto, from South LA, brought her three kids to the supervision site at Loren Miller Elementary School and said that the sites are a good option for parents who can’t stay home with their kids.
“I do appreciate it because it was very last minute, I’m pretty sure it caught (the schools) off guard too and for them to put this together I really do appreciate,” she said. “And also to have snacks and food for them it gives me that peace that at least they’re not going to be at home trying to turn on the stove or something.”
Cotto is worried about her children losing three more days of learning in the wake of the pandemic, but said she understands that the striking workers deserve better pay given the high rates of inflation and cost of living in Los Angeles.
The supervision and food distribution sites are a lifeline for many parents, however some families with special needs students feel uncomfortable leaving them with strangers and will be taking time off work to provide childcare over the next three days.
In general, parents have mixed opinions about the strike and, like Cotto, many are worried about the impact on student learning.
“The kids are happy with three days off, but after so much learning loss during the pandemic, I’m frustrated,” said Hugo Schwyzer, a parent of two LAUSD students. “I agree that the SEIU employees deserve raises — but it seems to me that the district is offering a very generous package. Given declining enrollments and an uncertain outlook economically, I don’t know how much more the district can promise without putting future fiscal stability in jeopardy.”
Jenna Schwartz, the co-founder of advocacy group Parents Supporting Teachers, said that no parents want a strike, but that the district’s refusal to meet SEIU’s wage demands justify this action.
“What we support is fair wages for workers in our school,” she said. “It’s unfortunate that it had to come to this point and we stand in solidarity with the workers at SEIU who make up 40% of the LAUSD workforce, but only 7% of the budget. We hope this leads to a fair contract for them.”
