Last-minute talks fail, massive LAUSD strike and school shutdowns set for Tuesday
Los Angeles TimesMar 21, 2023
Tens of thousands of Los Angeles Unified School District workers went on strike early Tuesday morning as negotiations with the union representing support staff — such as teacher's aides, special education assistants, bus drivers, custodians, and cafeteria workers — failed.
District Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho accused the Service Employees International Union, which represents about 30K support staff, of refusing to negotiate, adding that he was prepared to meet at any moment.
What this strike is about is raising the average minimum wage for support staff — the backbone of the district without whom special education, transportation, and lunch services wouldn't exist — from $25K to $36K. LA is one of the most expensive places in the country, and these workers deserve to be paid a living wage. It is clear to anyone paying attention that these workers not only need this raise to live but deserve it for the indispensable work they provide for LA's students.
The same union that fought to unnecessarily keep students out of the classroom during the pandemic is now asking the District to spend more money so it doesn't have to artificially turn part-time workers into full-time workers. The District is already in over $16B of debt, but the union doesn't seem to care about fiscal responsibility or children losing learning time. It knows it can nonetheless hold classrooms hostage to make taxpayers pay people not to work.