The second largest school district in the US, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), announced a 3-day closure of schools starting Tuesday as a result of a strike by teachers and education staff across the city of Los Angeles.

According to the Service Employees International Union Local 99 (SEIU Local 99), representing 30,000 school workers in the district that serves over 600,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade, the teachers and educators intend to protest over "unfair practices", and 35,000 members from the United Teachers Los Angeles will strike in solidarity. 

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The SEIU Local 99 requested a 30% pay raise for its members, in addition to an extra $2 an hour "equity wage adjustment for all", taking into consideration that school staff earn close to $25,000 per year in the LAUSD.

Negotiations are not an option

SEIU Local 99 executive director Max Arias stated that the union entered a confidential mediation process with LAUSD to "try and address our differences," adding, "Unfortunately, LAUSD broke that confidentiality by sharing it with the media before our bargaining team, which makes all decisions, had a chance to discuss how to proceed."

"This is yet another example of the school district’s continued disrespect of school workers. We are ready to strike," the statement continued. The statement however did stress that the mediation process did not involve negotiations with the LAUSD, "We continue to be engaged in the impasse process with the state."

During a news briefing on Monday, superintendent Alberto Carvalho proposed a 23% recurring raise alongside a 3% cash-in-hand bonus.

"I made myself available alongside my team for hours today, hoping that we would, in fact, be able to have a conversation for a whole host of reasons, some of which I do not understand," Carvalho expressed.

https://t.co/MxsGTST810 pic.twitter.com/WCL5l8xhRk

— Alberto M. Carvalho (@LAUSDSup) March 21, 2023

"All schools across LAUSD will be closed tomorrow," Carvalho said as he called the first day of strikes "a difficult day."

California witnessed a similar scenario but on a bigger scale last year. In the biggest academic worker strike in American history, around 48,000 academics, including postdoctoral scholars and teaching assistants, took to the streets in California demanding a minimum salary of $54,000 per year to fight the surging inflation hitting the country.

The protesters also called for increased child benefits and better working circumstances for disabled workers.

Read more: UK school leaders unite to ballot for national strike action amid cuts