Labor leaders across Los Angeles signaled growing support for a potential strike by Los Angeles Unified’s teachers and school workers on Wednesday, as the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor announced it had unanimously approved a strike sanction ahead of a possible April 14 walkout.
The vote, announced at a morning news conference in Westlake, does not authorize a strike itself but means unions across the region would support workers by honoring picket lines, joining rallies and providing other backing if a walkout occurs.
Yvonne Wheeler, president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, said the vote sends a clear message that “enough is enough” and that labor groups across the region are united behind teachers and school workers.
“This morning, we stand in strong and unwavering solidarity with the educators and school workers who show up every single day, for our students, for our families, and for the future of public education in Los Angeles,” Wheeler said. “This is a unified movement demanding respect and a fair contract. The fight is not just about wages and benefits, it’s about dignity.”
About 20 people stood behind the speakers, including union members from United Teachers Los Angeles and SEIU Local 99 holding signs reading “No more subcontracting” and “Ensure safety in our schools.” Several elected officials were also in attendance.
SEIU Local 99, which represents about 30,000 food service workers, custodians and special education assistants across the district, said it is moving toward a strike by canceling its contract with LAUSD.
“That means we end the no-strike clause in the contract and prepare to take action,” said the union’s executive director, Max Arias.
Arias said many members are struggling to make ends meet, adding that 99% cannot afford a one-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles.
“A strike is the last resort,” he said. “But after two years of LAUSD stalling, our members are ready.”
District officials, for their part, said they’re still committed to reaching a deal.
“Los Angeles Unified remains available to meet with our labor partners at their convenience, day and night, for continued negotiations,” a district spokesperson said in an emailed statement in response to the press conference. “We are committed to staying at the table to reach a fair agreement that supports our students and employees and prevents a strike.”
But union leaders said a strike remains a possibility.
UTLA Vice President Julie Van Winkle said the union, which represents about 37,000 teachers, nurses, counselors and librarians across the district, does not want to strike but is prepared to do so if necessary.
“There is so much chaos and turmoil going on in the district right now, but it’s not that they don’t have the money, it’s that their priorities are upside down,” she said, pointing to what she described as “billions and billions” invested in private contracts.
“We don’t want to go on strike,” Van Winkle said. “We want to just resolve this contract and get what’s fair for our students and the members of our union. But we have to be prepared to go on strike, because, unfortunately, that’s the only way the district ever listens to us.”
Associated Administrators of Los Angeles, which represents principals and other school administrators, is also weighing its next steps.
“Our strike vote closes April 3, our members will decide,” AALA President Maria Nichols told this publication in a follow-up message after the press conference.
Nichols also spoke at the event, expressing solidarity with UTLA and SEIU Local 99,
For workers, the stakes are deeply personal.
Tinesha Wirt, a food service worker at University High School, said she takes home about $1,000 a month and often has to choose between paying her gas bill or her car note.
“Why should anyone have to choose between the two,” she said. “I recently took on a second job just to make ends meet.”
The event also saw the attendance of elected officials, including Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, Assemblymember Nick Schultz and Rep. Jimmy Gomez, pointing to growing political pressure on the district as the strike deadline approaches.
The district and its labor partners have been bargaining for more than a year.
UTLA has called for wage increases of about 17% over two years, along with smaller class sizes, increased staffing for student support services and limits on subcontracting.
SEIU Local 99 has pushed for higher wages, more working hours and increased staffing.
LAUSD has said it’s constrained by long-term financial obligations and the need to maintain fiscal stability. It has offered UTLA an 8% raise along with a one-time 3% bonus over the next two years. The district has also proposed a roughly 13% wage increase over three years for SEIU Local 99.
Another major point of disagreement centers on the district’s finances. Union leaders argue LAUSD is holding more in reserves than it publicly acknowledges and spending heavily on outside contracts, while also questioning the need to fully fund long-term benefit obligations.
On Monday, UTLA rejected a state fact-finding report aimed at helping to resolve the dispute at impasse, while the district said the recommendations reflected a fiscally responsible path forward.
Union leaders have set April 14 as a potential strike date if no agreement is reached.
If no agreement is reached, the strike would mark the first major teachers strike in LAUSD since a six-day walkout in 2019.