LAUSD strike continues for 3rd day as talks resume
Striking school district employees and teachers continued striking for the third day of their declared three-day strike Thursday as talks between SEIU Local 99 and LAUSD resumed with assistance from the mayor's office. Classes are expected to resume Friday morning.
Los Angeles Unified School District administrators and Service Employees International Union Local 99 representatives resumed negotiations Wednesday with the support of L.A. Mayor Karen Bass's office.
Some workers say they're hopeful.
"I'm glad that she got involved, bringing both sides together, and we can work something out, that something could be worked out for all of us," George Enriquez, a district bus driver, said Thursday morning. "It's for everybody, it's not only for bus drivers or anything, it's for all of us. We all want to go back to work. We all want to be doing our job, providing service for these kids."
- LAUSD strike: Resources for families and students
LAUSD employees with SEIU Local 99 began walking picket lines Tuesday morning after negotiations with the district failed. Teachers with United Teachers Los Angeles joined the support staff strike in solidarity.
More than 1,000 LAUSD campuses were closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, affecting more than 400,000 students in the nation's second largest school district.
SEIU/UTLA previously declared their intention to strike on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, returning to classes Friday.
SEIU employees, including custodians, bus drivers, teachers aides, special education assistants and other support staff, are seeking a 30-percent raise, more staffing and more hours for part-time workers.
The district has countered with a 23-percent raise and a 3-percent cash bonus and says it's open to further negotiations.
On Monday afternoon, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho announced that district schools would close due to the strike.
Tuesday at 4:30 a.m., more than 60,000 LAUSD workers and teachers began walking picket lines in the rain.
Tuesday Bass said in a statement she would "continue to work privately with all parties to reach an agreement to reopen the schools and guarantee fair treatment of all LAUSD workers."
Carvalho tweeted a statement Monday afternoon: "Let's continue to negotiate for as long as it takes for our students. We must avoid lost instructional and social and emotional development time."
LAUSD announced Wednesday night that campuses would remain closed for the third day Thursday. Resources would continue to be available.
A union rally was planned for Thursday afternoon at L.A. State Historic State Park at 1245 North Spring Street.
