L.A. Schools Conclude Massive Three-Day Strike
Thousands of Los Angeles school workers will return to work today after concluding a massive three-day strike. Reasons are for the demand of increased wages and better working conditions.
The Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union, which represents about 30,000 Los Angeles school staff, ended the strike. The fight continues for the school system regarding staff members.
The massive three-day strike started with a walkout during a stormy, Tuesday morning. Numerous picketers marched downtown from school campuses, and among the picketers were low-paid public school workers and teachers. Prior to Tuesday, the nation’s second largest school district has been frustrated with the unfair negotiations by the district. A year of voicing minimal staffing, inadequate hours, and other inadequacies undeniably culminated the build-up of the strike.
Union member Adrian Alverez explained more to CNN: “We live in this weird paradox as workers that help feed children and yet we struggle to feed our own children. We help students go to college, yet we don’t have enough money to send our kids to college.”
Better Conditions
Due to the strike, different contact negotiations with the district has been underway this week. Urging points include a 30% salary increase, plus $2 more per hour for the lowest paid employees. More full-time work, respectful treatment, and increased staffing levels in services such as custodians, cafeteria workers, special education assistants, bus drivers — all members of Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union.
Food service worker, Teresa Thomas, believes the strike propelled the union a step forward. According to the workers’ union news release, she states how “they (union workers) showed the district they are not afraid.”
For parents who scrambled for child care options during the strike, they hope conditions get better, ‘for the children sake.’
“All @LASchools will reopen this Friday, March 24. We are grateful for the assistance and support of our partners, and we look forward to seeing our students and employees back at school,” officials with the Los Angeles Unified School District tweeted.
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