Los Angeles School Workers Strike for 2nd Day

8,295 次觀看・1 年前

Thousands of education workers in Los Angeles, California, braved wet weather to take part in the second day of a three-day strike on Wednesday, March 22, demanding an end to “unfair labor practices," an increase in wages, and better staffing.

This footage from the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) labor union shows workers forming picket lines at various locations, including Hamilton High School and South Gate Middle School, as rain pours down.

The strike, which shut down the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the nation’s second-largest school system, was launched by a local branch of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU Local 99) after failed negotiations with the LAUSD.

On Tuesday, SEIU said tens of thousands of “bus drivers, teachers, custodians and education workers” had joined demonstrations. UTLA, which says it represents more than 35,000 education workers in Los Angeles, said its members joined the strike in solidarity with SEIU Local 99.

In a statement on Monday, SEIU Local 99 said LAUSD had tabled an offer during confidential negotiations but “broke that confidentiality by sharing it with the media before our bargaining team,” prompting the union to withdraw from talks and proceed with the strike. “We want to be clear that we are not in negotiations with LAUSD. We continue to be engaged in the impasse process with the state,” the statement read.

On Wednesday, LAUSD said district officials had “been in conversation with SEIU Local 99 leaders” and were doing “everything possible to reach an agreement that honors the hard work of our employees, corrects historic inequities, maintains the financial stability of the District and brings students back to the classroom.” Credit: United Teachers Los Angeles via Storyful