Historic Los Angeles Unified triple-union strike averted after final agreement with SEIU Local 99

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A historic three-union strike that threatened to shut down the Los Angeles Unified School District has been averted after all three unions reached agreements with the district, and schools will remain open Tuesday.

Los Angeles Unified said in a press release that they reached an agreement in principle with SEIU Local 99, which represents 30,000 workers, including teachers’ aides, custodians and bus drivers, in the early hours of Tuesday morning following tentative agreements by United Teachers Los Angeles early Sunday and the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles the same day.

“We are proud to have reached resolution with all of our Labor partners—UTLA, SEIU, and AALA Teamsters Local 2010—ensuring stability for our schools and continuity for the students and families we serve,” Acting LA Unified Superintendent Andrés Chait said in a statement Tuesday morning.

”Our commitments reflect the dedication of our entire workforce. We are grateful for the collaboration that made this possible and hopeful that this marks a new chapter of partnership. At the same time, we are clear-eyed about the challenges ahead and know that meeting them will require continued trust, shared responsibility, and a united focus on what matters most—our students,” Chait said.

The strike would have shut down the nation’s second-largest school district affecting about 70,000 employees, nearly 400,000 students and their families, as well as many others who work in and around schools.

Had it occurred, the strike would have been the third major walkout in seven years – and a historic joint action involving three unions. Even without the strike, union leaders emphasized that the three unions coming together helped their cause.

“This is a historic victory for school administrators, and it was won because our members were united,” said Maria Nichols, the president of the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles in a statement. “By standing shoulder to shoulder with our union siblings, we forced a turning point at the bargaining table. This agreement delivers the respect, the raises, and the real relief our members have fought for.”

“Because we stood united and ready to strike, we forced real movement and won a tentative agreement with major gains for education workers,” SEIU Local 99 posted on Instagram early Tuesday morning, adding that “This victory belongs to ALL of us.”

According to their social media post, SEIU Local 99’s agreement with LAUSD includes:

• A 24% wage increase over three years, including 12% in retroactive pay
• Protections against subcontracting
• No layoffs for workers it represents
• Health benefits for those who work a total of four hours in a single assignment

SEIU Local 99 and the district reached an agreement in principle, meaning they agreed on key concepts without finalizing the contract language. The district announced in a press release that it will continue working with the union to finalize a tentative agreement.

The district’s agreement with administrators includes 12.15% in compounded wage increases over two years. It also includes a defined 8-hour workday, a 40-hour work week and flex time with notice, according to a release issued Monday.

The district’s two-year agreement with UTLA included an average salary increase of 13.86% and four weeks of parental leave paid by the district, according to an email sent to the union’s members Sunday.

Union members — as well as LAUSD’s school board — must still ratify the agreements.

The agreements come as parents, community organizations and even legislators mounted pressure on the district to come to an agreement with the unions. On Monday, several organizations such as Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles rallied outside district headquarters in support of the unions.

Last week, 45 state legislators signed a letter supporting SEIU Local 99, including Assembly member Jessica M. Caloza of Los Angeles.

“The well-being of our workers and the health of our Los Angeles education system is what’s at stake,” she wrote to EdSource before the strike was averted.