LAUSD Unions Eye Joint Strike Starting Tuesday

Los Angeles Unified School District faces a potential strike by three major unions representing teachers, nonteaching staff, and school administrators, set to begin Tuesday and threatening to close campuses for some 390,000 students across the city.

The walkout, if it occurs, would mark the first joint action by United Teachers Los Angeles, SEIU Local 99, and the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles, involving a combined 68,000 workers. Negotiations have stalled over salary increases, work schedules, and layoffs, with mediation sessions scheduled through the weekend. District officials and union representatives met Wednesday and Thursday, with further talks planned for Saturday between UTLA and the district. No agreements have been reached, though the district has finalized contracts with five of its eight labor partners.

At the center of the dispute are competing financial claims. The unions argue the district can afford their demands, citing a $5 billion reserve as of July 2025, the highest in LAUSD history and well above the state's 1% minimum requirement. They accuse the district of exaggerating budget shortfalls to justify lower offers. District leaders counter that...