With a declining enrollment, failed schools, racism and sexual aggression being taught, the unions extorted a 30% raise. Plus, they are getting a bonus for showing up to work—try that in the private sector. It may be true that crime does not pay, but extortion does.
Too bad the parents and students that supported this does not work as hard to get a quality education.
Now the teachers are going for a 15% raise and bonuses as well. After a couple of days of extortion, they will get everything they ask for. The union slogan? “Extortion over Education”.
Massive strike ends with a ‘historic’ settlement for Los Angeles workers
The agreement includes 30% wage increases, full benefits coverage for support staff and $1,000 appreciation bonuses for those who worked during the 2020-21 school year.
District Administration, 3/27/23
On Friday, a tentative agreement between the Los Angeles Unified School District and the union representing support staff was finally reached, putting an end to a three-day-long strike that kept more than 400,000 students out of school.
The settlement, according to the SEIU Local 99’s website, adequately addresses its members’ key demands and paves the pathway to improving employee livelihoods and student services. Ultimately, union members feel winning the respect of their district was crucial in making this agreement possible.
“Here in California this agreement will set new standards, not just for Los Angeles, but the entire state,” said Max Arias, executive director of Local 99 in a joint news conference with LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, who also said it was “a historic day.”
The agreement is not an across-the-board pay increase, but one that is spread out over time and influenced by one’s length of employment and current salary.
Here’s a brief look at the highlights of the settlement, according to the union’s website:
- 30% wage increase
- Retroactive pay of $4,000-$8,000, depending on job classification and years of service
- $1,000 appreciation bonus for all who worked during 2020-21
- Increase to average annual salary from $25,000 to $33,000
- Special education assistants are now guaranteed seven hours of work
- Fully paid health care benefits for teacher assistants, community representatives, after-school program workers and others.
“Our fight brought our city and country together,” the union wrote in their announcement. “Mayor Karen Bass was instrumental to getting the District to finally start hearing our demands.”
According to Carvalho, this reconciliation was the result of a common understanding.
“I’ve said since I arrived in Los Angeles that impossible conditions faced by many of our employees, many of our children and their families are real,” he said. “Whether it is the unaffordability of housing, whether it is the unhoused nature of many of our children or their parents—or in some cases, members of our workforce.”
