Posts tagged Los Angeles
LAUSD strike averted after tentative deal reached with 3rd union; schools to open Tuesday
April 14, 2026 // - A 24% wage increase that will make a significant difference in workers' livelihoods; - Increased work hours that will ensure health care benefits for thousands of workers and their families and increase services and support for students; - Rescinding layoffs of hundreds of IT technicians; - Expansion of health care benefits for teacher assistants, after-school workers, community representatives and others; - No subcontracting of work to outside vendors with a pathway to bring more work into the district.
Teachers earn whopping pay raise as under-fire LAUSD folds to avert strike
April 13, 2026 // The pay hike comes even as the district’s roughly 390,000 students perform below both state and federal literacy averages. The agreement, expected to cost at least $650 million, also includes a plan to hire 450 additional support staff, including counselors, psychologists and social workers. The deal follows months of tense negotiations after the union’s contract expired last June, and is aimed at heading off a strike planned for Tuesday. But the threat of walkouts has not been fully eliminated. Service Employees International Union Local 99, which represents custodians, cafeteria workers and other service staff, has yet to reach a deal with the district.
LA hotels face financial strain exacerbated by city policy shifts: report
April 13, 2026 // Increasing labor expenses are a major concern for hoteliers nationwide, as total salaries, wages and benefits paid by U.S. hotels are projected to increase approximately 3% year over year in 2026 amid a weakened performance cycle. In Los Angeles, however, local legislation is exacerbating this challenge, hoteliers reported. Last year’s passage of the Citywide Hotel Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance, in particular, has forced local hoteliers “to make serious changes to maintain business operations,” according to the report. For example, 88% of hotel stakeholders said they have reduced staffing or hours in the past year as a result of LA city council policies, per the report.
Commentary: A teacher strike would hurt kids, but LAUSD can’t afford to give in to the union’s demands
April 13, 2026 // The bottom line is that LAUSD can’t afford the union’s demands. A lengthy teachers’ strike would harm students, but giving in to UTLA risks weakening the district’s ability to serve those students for years to come. For their part, teachers and other union employees could come to regret whatever concessions UTLA manages to squeeze out of the district. LAUSD has already approved a plan to lay off 3,200 employees, and they’ll need to cut more if UTLA gets its way.
Talks Resume Today Ahead of Potential LAUSD Strike Next Week
April 9, 2026 // Even a partial agreement may not be enough to keep schools open. If one or more unions fail to reach a deal, district officials have indicated that maintaining normal operations would be nearly impossible. Right now, union leaders are projecting unity across roles that don’t always align. In a statement, UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz emphasized that educators and school staff are “ready to act” next Tuesday, if meaningful progress isn’t made.
Federal Crackdown Nets 8 Arrests in Southern California Health Care Fraud Schemes
April 8, 2026 // Federal officials have arrested 8 people in the Los Angeles area for their alleged involvement in various health care fraud schemes totaling $50 million. The cases include fraudulent billing for hospice services, defrauding a labor union's health plans, and forging immigration medical documents.
Georgetown cat cafe owner proud to reopen under unionized status; workers wait at bargaining table
April 7, 2026 // Georgetown cat cafe Crumbs & Whiskers recently reopened its doors following a brief closure under a new status as the first unionized cat cafe in the United States. But employees say their issues have yet to be resolved. Crumbs & Whiskers owner Zari Ruhi, also known as Kanchan Singh, opened the M Street location of her business in 2019. Ruhi also owns a location in Los Angeles and previously owned a location on O Street in D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood, which has since shut down.
LA County unions pledge support for possible LAUSD strike as teachers push for new deal
April 2, 2026 // With a strike by Los Angeles Unified School District teachers looming on April 14, several major L.A. County labor groups have announced their support and say they are prepared to join educators on the picket lines. United Teachers Los Angeles, SEIU Local 99 and the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles said Wednesday they plan to walk off the job if they do not reach a new contract agreement with the district.
9th Circuit Case Against UTLA Fully Briefed, Awaiting Oral Argument
March 28, 2026 // “UTLA’s position boils down to this: Accept our representation or give up your career,” said Shella Alcabes, Freedom Foundation litigation counsel. “That’s not a choice the Constitution permits the government to impose. These teachers opted out of this union for good reason, and no court has ever said the First Amendment allows what California is doing here.” Among the actions the plaintiffs attribute to UTLA: spending $700,000 to elect a school board candidate who promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories; funding members’ attendance at anti-Jewish rallies; endorsing a “Teach Palestine” curriculum that misrepresents Jewish history; and, passing resolutions supporting the BDS campaign against Israel.
Hotel and stadium workers can refuse work if ICE is present, union says as World Cup approaches
March 25, 2026 // The union is urging hotels, stadiums and other venues not to host or provide staging areas for ICE or Border Patrol during what it calls a period of heightened public attention. If employers choose to allow federal agents on site, the union is requesting advance notice and confirmation that workers will be permitted to leave or refuse the assignment without facing disciplinary action.