LOS ANGELES (AP) — In a pivotal agreement, Los Angeles schools have averted a strike that threatened to disrupt the education of nearly 400,000 students across Southern California. The Los Angeles Unified School District and the union representing support staff, SEIU Local 99, announced early Tuesday that they have reached a tentative agreement, ensuring that schools would remain open.
SEIU Local 99 declared on social media that the tentative deal includes significant achievements such as wage increases and additional working hours. The district confirmed the agreement in principle, stating they would work to finalize the deal.
The new agreement reportedly includes important protections such as safeguards against subcontracting, halting layoffs in IT positions, and enhancing staffing levels across the district. SEIU Local 99 called on its members to report to work as usual and expressed gratitude to fellow unions and the community, celebrating the collective victory.
Unions representing teachers and principals had prepared for potential strikes as negotiations unfolded, with tentative contract agreements established with the district just days prior to the tentative deal with SEIU Local 99. The cooperation among all three unions, which collectively represent approximately 70,000 workers, was crucial in preventing any strike action.
Previously, the unions had never conducted a simultaneous strike. Notably, during past teacher walkouts, school administrations have stayed operational to ensure continuity of education. When Local 99 workers initiated a strike in 2023, a reduced number of schools remained open, showcasing the impact of union negotiations on the educational landscape.
