A massive strike that would close Los Angeles Unified School District campuses across the city is now set for April 14 unless contract talks between LAUSD and its two largest unions produce a deal before then.
United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) and SEIU Local 99, which together represent more than 60,000 district employees, announced the strike date at a rally March 18 in Gloria Molina Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles. Thousands of teachers, bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers, school nurses and administrators turned out, joined by Associated Administrators of Los Angeles (AALA), which represents principals and other school leaders, in a rare show of unity among all three unions.
For Mar Vista families, the implications are significant. Neighborhood schools would almost certainly shutter for the duration of any work stoppage. When UTLA and Local 99 last went on strike together in March 2023, schools closed entirely because it was impossible to operate without both teaching and non-teaching staff. That walkout lasted three days. This time, union leaders are describing the potential action as open-ended.
UTLA is seeking an average 17% pay increase over two years, with a particular focus on early-career teachers. Under the union’s proposal, starting salaries would be raised to $80,000, while the top rate for experienced educators would reach just over $133,000. The union is also pushing to restructure automatic step-increases so that teachers receive more meaningful raises for years of experience and professional development, a reform designed to ease recruitment and retention without requiring a full contract fight in every bargaining cycle. UTLA’s current contract expired last June, and the union declared an impasse in December after more than a dozen bargaining sessions produced no resolution. The state-mandated fact-finding process wrapped up earlier this month without an agreement.
SEIU Local 99, whose members include bus drivers, janitors, cafeteria workers, teacher aides and computer technicians, has been working under an expired contract since June 2024. The union is seeking a 30% wage increase over three years and more stable work schedules. Many Local 99 members have had their hours reduced to the point where they no longer qualify for health benefits. The union says the average salary for its members is $35,000 per year.
LAUSD officials say the finances simply do not support what the unions are seeking. The district countered UTLA’s proposal with an 8% salary increase plus a 3% one-time bonus over two years, with a third year open for renegotiation. For Local 99, the district offered 13% over three years. Acting Superintendent Andres Chait, who stepped in after Superintendent Alberto Carvalho was placed on paid administrative leave following an FBI search of his home and office in late February, has said the district remains committed to avoiding a work stoppage. “We have a responsibility to our community to provide a quality education to our students and to make sure our employees are compensated fairly and equitably,” Chait said. “But we also have a responsibility to be careful stewards of the financial resources that our taxpayers entrust to us.”
LAUSD entered this school year with a $5 billion reserve as part of an $18.8 billion budget, but district officials have been warning about long-term sustainability. Pandemic relief funding has expired, enrollment is declining, and the district faces hundreds of millions in sexual misconduct settlement costs. In February, the school board narrowly approved layoff notices for more than 650 employees, a move the unions called both unnecessary and harmful to students.
The situation is further complicated by Carvalho’s absence. Carvalho has been on administrative leave since late February, when FBI agents searched his San Pedro home and his downtown office. Well-placed sources have confirmed the investigation relates to AllHere, a startup the district hired to build an AI chatbot that was never fully deployed and was discontinued after three months. Carvalho has denied any wrongdoing.
UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz put it plainly at the rally, saying union members are “30 years old, still living with their parents because they cannot afford a place to live,” with some commuting from as far as the Inland Empire to teach in Los Angeles classrooms. “A strike this year ensures that your children are going to get all the resources that they need in the classroom,” said Emily Reyes, a fifth-grade teacher at Laurel Cinematic Arts near West Hollywood.
How can Mar Vista families stand with their teachers and school staff if a strike does happen? The most direct way is to show up at the picket line, even briefly, at your child’s school. Bringing water, snacks or coffee to workers walking the line goes a long way on a long day. Parents can also write to the LAUSD school board urging members to prioritize reaching a fair deal before April 14. Sharing information about the strike on neighborhood groups and social media ensures the community understands what workers are asking for and why. For those who want to do more, UTLA’s website has information on upcoming actions and ways to get involved before a strike even begins.
The district says it has begun contingency planning and has reached out to outside organizations to provide childcare and meals for families if schools close. The April 14 deadline leaves roughly three weeks for the parties to close significant gaps on pay, staffing and working conditions.