Los Angeles Officials from both parties confirmed that Unified School District campuses will be operational on Tuesday after averting a strike involving essential workers, KTLA reported.
Service Employees International Union Local 99, which represents about 30,000 essential workers in the region Los Angeles Unified School Districtannounced a tentative agreement with the region early Tuesday morning.
The agreement includes a 24% pay increase, extended hours to ensure health care benefits for thousands of employees, reversal of layoffs affecting hundreds of IT technicians, and increased health care coverage for teaching assistants, after-school staff and others.
Latest news from Los Angeles Unified School District on strikes and trades
The Los Angeles Unified School District verified the agreement on its website Tuesday morning. “We are pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement in principle with SEIU Local 99 to allow schools to open,” the district said.
SEIU Local 99 is the third and final union agreement requested by the district to prevent a strike Tuesday that could close schools.
“We are proud to have reached a resolution with all of our labor partners UTLA, SEIU and AALA Teamsters Local 2010 that ensures the stability of our schools and the continuity of the students and families we serve,” said Acting Superintendent Andrés E. Chait.
While the agreements are still subject to approval by union members, the school will continue to operate during this time.
According to SEIU Local 99, key features of the agreement include:
– A 24% wage increase will greatly improve workers’ lives;
– Increase work hours and ensure health care benefits for thousands of workers and their families, while increasing services and supports for students;
– Cancellation of layoff plans affecting hundreds of IT technicians;
– Expand health care benefits for teacher aides, after-school staff, community representatives and others;
– Ban the subcontracting of work to outside vendors and develop a strategy to incorporate more work within the district.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also stepped in to facilitate negotiations and develop contingency plans in the event of a strike.
“The teachers, instructional assistants, nurses, custodians, bus drivers and other dedicated staff in our schools who care for our children every day deserve a fair contract,” a statement from Bass’ office read. “Now, there is one on the table and classes begin tomorrow.”
