LAUSD Strike Enters Final Day

The Los Angeles Unified strike has entered its third and final day without resolution. Support staff will return to campuses Friday, welcoming students back after a three-day hiatus.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass got involved in the dispute between the district and SEIU Local 99 this week in an effort to break the impasse. 

"We're talking about LAUSD employees that make very low wages and some of them are really struggling to meet their basic needs so you should know I have been deeply engaged with both the superintendent and the head of the union and I am hopeful that they will be able to come to a resolution very shortly," she said.

Both the city and county have been providing outlets for students, including library programs and grab-and-go meals. But low-income parents are still struggling and many of them were unaware of the offerings, according to the Los Angeles Times.

SEIU Local 99 says the district has been contributing to poverty in Los Angeles by paying school staffers low wages and not giving them enough hours. According to the union, its average member in the district earns $25,000 annually, and many work only part-time. In a city like Los Angeles, that kind of salary makes it impossible to scrape by. 

The union has demanded a 30% increase in base salaries over four years. The district has offered a 23% increase over five years, plus bonuses, but that has been rejected.

SEIU members also want more full-time hours, the elimination of unassigned days, and more staffing.

Read the latest on the strike here.