LOS ANGELES (AP) — More than 50,000 Los Angeles County workers began a two-day strike Monday night, closing libraries and undermining administrative actions in the nation’s most populous county.
According to 721 leaders of the Service Employees International, the three-day strike was in response to the failure of negotiations with the county’s last contract.
The union represents more than 55,000 workers, including public health professionals, social workers, park and recreational staff, trustees, paperworkers, and more counties serving 10 million residents. The union said it would be the first strike for all its members.
“This is to make the workforce in Los Angeles County through emergency situations: wildfires in January, public health emergencies, mental health emergencies, social service emergencies, and more,” union leader David Green said in a statement. “That’s why we violate labor laws and demand respect for workers.”
The strike will last until 7 p.m. Wednesday. During this period, libraries, some medical clinics, beach bathrooms and public service counters are expected to be closed. Some other services in the Medical Examiner’s Office and Public Works Department may also be affected, According to the county.
The union accused the county of 44 violations of labor laws during contract negotiations, including surveillance and retaliation against workers engaged in union activities and signed the position of union representatives.
Los Angeles County said it faces “unprecedented pressure” on its budget, including Tentative $4 billion settlement of thousands of claims for child sexual assaultan estimated $2 billion in January’s impact associated with the Los Angeles wildfires and potentially lost hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds.
“We don’t want to fall into a structural deficit, which could lead to layoffs and reduced services,” spokesman Elizabeth Marcellino said in a statement from the CEO’s office. “We are working to balance: provide fair compensation for our workforce while maintaining services and avoiding layoffs in some of the worst financial challenges we have encountered.”
The city of Los Angeles is facing similar financial difficulties – Mayor Karen Bass’ recent proposed budget includes 1,600 layoffs, including nearly $1 billion in deficits.
