More than 55,000 LA County workers go on strike, disrupting numerous public services
Tens of thousands of Los Angeles County workers went on strike Monday night, citing county management's "law-breaking and failure to bargain in good faith."
"The ULP Strike will directly impact more than 55,000 LA employees represented by SEIU 721 as well as nearly 10 million county residents," the union said in a news release on April 18.
The union said that although plans will be put in place to ensure that emergency health services continue unimpeded, SEIU 721's LA County ULP Strike "would be the first of its kind in Los Angeles County history."
A spokesperson for the union confirmed to Paste BN Tuesday morning that the strike began at 7 p.m. local time Monday at the four major hospitals in the county.
The union represents county workers across many sectors, including public health, social workers, parks & recreation staff, clerical workers, beaches & harbors staff, and custodians, among others, according to the news release.
“This is the workforce that got LA County through emergency after emergency: the January wildfires, public health emergencies, mental health emergencies, social service emergencies and more,” said David Green, SEIU 721’s Executive Director and President, in the news release.
“From the San Fernando Valley to the San Gabriel Valley, from the foothills to the beaches, all across LA County, we get the job done. That’s why we have had it with the labor law violations and demand respect for our workers," Green said.
"Los Angeles County is fully committed to negotiating in good faith with SEIU 721, and we are disappointed that the union is opting to stage a strike that will affect residents and impact service delivery at a time of great public need," the LA County's Chief Executive Office said in an emailed statement to Paste BN Tuesday.
Why are LA County workers striking?
SEIU 721 said in the news release that since servicing LA County through the COVID pandemic and the recent wildfires, it has been on the "receiving end of management's repeated law-breaking, bearing the brunt of at least 44 alleged labor law violations during this contract bargaining cycle."
The union alleges that LA County is refusing to bargain with union members in good faith and has been conducting "surveillance and retaliation against SEIU 721 members engaged in union activity." Additionally, the union says the county is restricting union organizers' access to worksites and contracting out of SEIU 721-represented positions.
The union's contract expired at the end of March.
"The County disputes the union’s assertion that the County has engaged in unfair labor practices," the county's Chief Executive Office said in an emailed statement to Paste BN.
"The County is facing unprecedented stresses on our budget, including a tentative $4 billion settlement of thousands of childhood sexual assault claims brought under AB 218, a projected $2 billion in impacts related to the January wildfires and recovery, and the potentially catastrophic loss of hundreds of millions or more in federal funding," the county continued in its statement.
"We are working hard to make sure our labor partners understand the financial reality of our situation. Despite the severity of our fiscal outlook, the County has made fair and responsible counter proposals that we hope the union will seriously consider. We are committed to continuing constructive negotiations and to joining with labor on something we can all agree on—which is the County’s absolutely essential role in serving the people who rely on us not just for safety net services but to make their lives better," the statement concluded.
How long will the LA County workers strike last?
A union spokesperson told Paste BN Tuesday morning the strike could last up to three days "depending on if management and our union come to an agreement or not."
Libraries and some healthcare clinics will be closed, wildfire beach debris cleanup may be paused, and service counters at the Hall of Administration could be shut down, according to reporting from the Los Angeles Times.
Residents can visit LACounty.gov/closures for the latest updates on impacts to services during the strike.
This story has been updated to add new information.
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at Paste BN. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.