LAUSD reaches historic deal, meets demands of union workers following 3-day strike

A tentative deal was reached Friday to end a labor dispute involving the Los Angeles Unified School District and tens of thousands of union workers who staged a three-day strike this week, the district announced.

The “historic” deal includes a 30% pay increase that Local 99 of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) had been seeking along with a vast expansion of benefits including:

-$2 per hour increase for all employees effective January 1, 2024
-6% ongoing wage increase retroactive to July 1, 2021
-7% ongoing wage increase retroactive to July 1, 2022
-7% ongoing wage increase effective July 1, 2023
-Members working at least part-time (four days or more) or more will receive fully paid healthcare benefits along with their dependents.
-$1,000 bonus for current employees with the district from 2020-21 “during adverse circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
-Raise the minimum wage to $22.52 an hour
-Increase hours and compensation for paraprofessionals serving students with special needs
-Invest $3 million in an Education and Professional Development Fund for SEIU members

The District and SEIU reached additional agreements on:
-Respectful treatment
-Bus bidding process
-Terms for mandatory overtime
-Joint Labor Management Committee for other issues

The tentative agreement will be moved to union members to vote for its approval. If approved, the deal could prevent schools from being shuttered again as members were not opposed to another strike if negotiations failed to pan out.

“This week, the eyes of our entire nation were on the cooks, custodians and classroom aides who make education possible in Los Angeles, a workforce overwhelmingly made up of women and people of color,” said Max Arias, Executive Director of SEIU Local 99. “We emerged stronger than ever from this week’s strike and showed the entire nation that unions are the most powerful force for economic opportunity and equity. Members’ sacrifice, courage, and strength – and the solidarity of 35,000 teachers of UTLA – led to this moment.”

More than 1,300 students returned to class on Friday after contract talks stalled on Thursday and no agreements were reached then. Negotiations between the school district and union members resumed at L.A. City Hall with Mayor Karen Bass mediating the talks.

Local 99 represents around 30,000 teachers’ aides, bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers and other support staff.

Union members asked for a 30% wage increase and better working conditions. LAUSD initially offered a 23% wage increase over the next five years. SEIU said its workers on average earn around $25,000 a year. 

LAUSD released a statement saying in part:

“Los Angeles Unified today announced that it has reached an agreement with SEIU Local 99 on a new contract that significantly increases salaries for its more than 30,000 members. This agreement addresses historic pay inequities, creatives a massive expansion of healthcare benefits for part-time employees, invests considerable resources into professional development for the workforce, all while maintaining financial stability for the District.”

Despite the strike that forced around 400,000 students out of classes for three days, many parents stood in support of union employees in the nation’s second-largest school district.

“It’s obvious all over the schools that we’re really not putting the support where it’s needed and our children are suffering because of that,” said one LAUSD parent.

“Our workers at school, often they’re making less than kids in high school working at fast food jobs,” said Chris Acosta, an LAUSD teacher.

“I’m married with a spouse who helps, but we go check by check,” said Erica Cabrera, a special education assistant.

While the walkout was led by SEIU, United Teachers of Los Angeles, the union representing 34,000 LAUSD educators, also walked off the job in solidarity.

With service workers receiving the support of the teacher’s union and parents, union members said they were ready to stage another strike if they didn’t reach an agreement with the district.

“We’re willing to do whatever we have to do to get what we believe is fair for our members,” said Lewis.

Following the historic agreement on Friday, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho released a statement saying in part:

“I am appreciative of SEIU Local 99’s leadership for coming back to the table to negotiate an agreement that addresses the needs of our employees and brings students back to the classroom. When we started negotiating with SEIU, we promised to deliver on three goals. We wanted to honor and elevate the dignity of our workforce and correct well-known, decades-long inequities impacting the lowest-wage earners. We wanted to continue supporting critical services for our students. We wanted to protect the financial viability of the District for the long haul. Promises made, promises delivered.”

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass released a statement saying:

“I want to thank SEIU Local 99 Executive Director Max Arias and Superintendent Alberto Carvalho for working with me to put our families first. We must continue working together to address our city’s high cost of living, to grow opportunity and to support more funding for LA’s public schools, which are the most powerful determinant of our city’s future.”