Los Angeles teachers are expected to announce a strike date Wednesday that could halt classes for nearly 400,000 students.
The timing is set to coincide with a massive rally in downtown LA involving three major unions.
The walkout, if it happens, would be open-ended, lasting until a new contract is agreed upon. United Teachers Los Angeles represents more than 30,000 educators and staffers, whose contract expired last June.
The union’s latest proposal would boost average pay by 17% over two years, with early-career teachers targeted for the biggest increases.
LA Unified has countered with an 8% raise over two years and warned that district reserves are shrinking. Financial pressure is mounting due to the end of pandemic aid, declining enrollment, and costly misconduct settlements.
Other unions joining the rally include Local 99, representing 30,000 support staff, and the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles, marking a first for principals and middle managers to take part in a joint action of this scale.
The announcement could trigger an immediate standoff, and schools may face major disruption if an agreement isn’t reached before the strike date.