A planned three-day strike by teachers and school staff in the Los Angeles Unified School District is looming and is scheduled for next week.
The planned walkout would be the longest complete disruption to education in the nation’s second-largest school system since the six-day teachers’ strike in 2019 and would upend a school system trying to recover from the pandemic.
The strike would result in the closure of schools attended by more than 420,000 students.
Here’s what you need to know.
When would the walkout take place?
It would start on Tuesday and run until Thursday next week.
Who would participate?
The walkout would include up to 65,000 workers.
The walkout would be led by SEIU Local 99. Local 99 represents approximately 30,000 workers, including bus drivers, custodial, cafeteria and other food service workers, campus security aides, teaching assistants and school aides. students with disabilities.
Local 99 would be joined in a sympathy strike by UTLA, which represents 35,000 teachers, counsellors, therapists, nurses and librarians.
What are the problems ?
Local 99 leaders recently declared an impasse in negotiations and are moving forward with the mediation and investigation process. The union, which has yet to settle pay issues dating back to the 2020-21 school year, is demanding a 30% raise for all members, with an additional boost for the lowest-paid workers.
The district is offering a 5% ongoing salary increase retroactive to July 1, 2021, an additional 5% ongoing salary increase retroactive to July 1, 2022, and a 5% salary increase that would take effect July 1, 2023. In addition, employees would receive a one-time “retention bonus” of 4% for the current school year and a one-time bonus of 5% the following year.
The teachers’ union is calling for a 20% increase over two years, starting with 10% for the current school year.
Local 99 leaders said their strike would be a protest against alleged illegal actions by LA Unified during the bargaining process. According to the unions, such actions, called strikes for “unfair labor practices” by the National Labor Relations Board, generally last for a fixed period and can be organized without going through the stages of negotiation which generally precede an indefinite strike. .
LA Unified officials have denied any wrongdoing.
What does LAUSD say?
Superintendent of Los Angeles Schools. Alberto Carvalho said he and the district negotiators were ready to meet 24 hours a day to avoid the strike.
He said a strike would further harm more than 420,000 students who are trying to recover academically and emotionally from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced them into distance learning for more than a year.
Officials said there was still time to avoid a strike, but some were growing increasingly pessimistic.
School board president Jackie Goldberg – who had previously expressed optimism that there would be no strike – seemed Wednesday less certain.
“It’s the first time since I’ve done this that there hasn’t been a back and forth,” Goldberg said. “There was a statement of, ‘This is it. And that’s all.’ These are not negotiations. I am very disappointed.
How would this affect students?
Schools would be closed during a strike.
Carvalho said in an email to families. “We would simply have no way of ensuring a safe and secure environment where teaching could take place. We will give you as much notice as possible, but we encourage you to start discussions now with your employer, child care providers and others.
He added that the district is in discussions with community groups about how they can help distribute food on school days and help with child care for families. The district is also preparing academic materials for students to take home, he said.