(LOS ANGELES, Calif.) — Approximately 55,000 of Los Angeles County’s workers have taken to the streets downtown in a massive, two-day protest — affecting a range of industries, from public services and health care to libraries and park management.
Members of the labor union SEIU Local 721 began the strike on Monday night, saying in a press release that failed contract negotiations and 44 alleged labor law violations sparked the walkout.
The strike also comes nearly four months after the devastating spate of wildfires burned through parts of Los Angeles County in January, causing billions in damage and a strain on public workers, the union said.
“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,” David Green, SEIU 721’s executive director and president, who has worked as an L.A. County children’s social worker for more than two decades said in the union’s 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 added.
The union claims the alleged labor violations include refusal to bargain with union members in good faith, surveillance and retaliation against SEIU 721 members engaged in union activity, restricting union organizers’ access to worksites and contracting out of SEIU 721-represented positions.
Additionally, the union claims the county’s proposal had a 0% increase for workers’ cost of living while its board of supervisors financed a $205 million downtown skyscraper for new office space.
“These are the very same people telling the workforce – and taxpayers – that there is no money for more services or frontline staff,” the union said in the release.
In a statement to ABC News on Tuesday, L.A. County’s Chief Executive Office said it’s “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 department added that it “disputes the union’s assertion that the County has engaged in unfair labor practices.”
The county also cited “unprecedented stresses on our budget” including a $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, according to the statement.
Speaking with ABC News’ Los Angeles affiliate KABC, L.A. County’s Chief Executive Officer Fesia Davenport said, “We have to monitor our revenues” and explained that the county’s growth from property taxes is declining.
“Our revenues are down because interest rates are up, and the number of houses that have been sold over the last couple of years have been declining. Our main source of revenue are local property taxes, so even though we get growth every year from property taxes, the amount of that growth is declining,” Davenport said.
The county is planning to meet with union workers Tuesday night, according to KABC.
Marking the first strike of it kind for the union, SEIU 721 members include health, public health and mental health care professionals; social workers; parks and recreation staff; social services eligibility workers; public works personnel; clerical workers; custodians; coroner personnel; beaches and harbors staff; and traffic and lighting personnel, according to the release.
The strike could impact non-urgent health clinics, libraries, wildfire debris removal, homeless encampment enforcement and trash pickup services, according to the union.
Further information on closures and service delays can be found out lacounty.gov/closures.
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