LAUSD Union Workers Hit the Picket Lines and Begin 3-Day Strike

Tuesday marks Day One of a three-day planned strike by thousands of LAUSD union workers over failed wage negotiations.

The country's second largest school district has come to a halt forcing school closures, leaving half a million students out of the classroom.

Despite overnight rain, union workers joined picket lines around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday at Van Nuys bus yard demanding higher wages.

"Well for me it's important because of course I have children but also even our own children that we drive in transportation we need to make sure we are doing the best and be the best that we possibly can be," said Lynneier Boyd-Peterson, an SEIU Local 99 member. "Enough is enough, the wages are not what they need to be."

Body-Peterson continued to describe how without proper wages she cannot do her job to the best of her abilities. She also explained how there are many union workers who are homeless because they are not making enough.

About 30,000 Service Employees International Union workers have walked out of work and about another 30,000 workers from UTLA have joined them in solidarity.

LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho held a press conference Monday evening asking for any last-minute effort to help avoid the strike but no negotiations were reached.

Workers are asking for a 30% increase to wages and the district argues that they have made a strong offer of a 23% wage increase with a 3% cash in hand bonus.

As the strike has caused school closures, the LAUSD is offering resources to parents and students over the next couple of days. There will be student supervision at over 150 schools, there are 24 grab-and-go meal distribution sites and student programs at about 50 city and county parks.

Calvalho has said that the district is available 24/7 to sit and make negotiations to end the strike as soon as possible.

Monday afternoon, SEIU Local 99 Executive Director Max Arias said in a press release that the union had entered into a confidential mediation process with the LAUSD to “try and address our differences.” However, he said the LAUSD broke confidentiality by announcing the mediation process to the press before the union’s bargaining team had a chance to discuss how to proceed.

“This is yet another example of the school district’s continued disrespect of school workers. We are ready to strike,” Arias said.

SEIU members have been working without a contract since June 2020 and the contract for teachers expired in June 2022. The unions decided last week to stop accepting extensions to their contracts.

"We want them to know that we do understand what the parents are going through. We know that students are suffering through this and we want the parents to support us," said Martha Lujano, a bus driver.

Lujano has been a bus driver for 21 years with the LAUSD said that it's important for parents to know that they are on strike not just for themselves but also for the safety of the students.

She is hopeful that SEIU will be able to come to some sort of agreement with the district and they will be able to get back to their students.

"We for sure thought that we would've had something solved by yesterday but unfortunately we are here," Lujano said.

The union has announced multiple events throughout the three days which include multiple rallies and news conferences.

Tuesday:

• 7 a.m. news conference at Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools, 701 S. Catalina St., Los Angeles;
• 1 p.m. rally at LAUSD Headquarters, 333 South Beaudry Ave., Los Angeles.

Wednesday:

• 4:30 a.m. picket lines at Gardena Bus Yard, 18421 S. Hoover St.;
• 7 a.m. news conference and picketing at Polytechnic High School, 12431 Roscoe Blvd., Sun Valley;
• 11 a.m. rally at LAUSD Local District Office, 2151 N. Soto St., Los Angeles.

Thursday:

• 4:30 a.m. picket lines at BD Bus Yard 774 E. 17th St., Los Angeles;
• 7 a.m. news conference and picket lines at Banneker Career Transition Center, 14024 San Pedro St., Los Angeles;
• 1 p.m. rally at location to be determined.

City News Service contributed to this reporting.