The three-day strike that shut down the nation's second-largest school system, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), has come to an end. The district and union leaders have reached a deal on pay raises for bus drivers, custodians, and other support staff.
The agreement was announced on Friday after intense negotiations between the two parties. According to the LAUSD officials, the deal would provide a 6% raise for all employees represented by Service Employees International Union Local 99.
Union leaders said that they were pleased with the outcome of the negotiations. "We are happy to have reached an agreement that provides our members with fair wages," said Max Arias, SEIU Local 99 executive director.
The strike started on Tuesday when over 30,000 support staff walked out of their jobs demanding better pay and working conditions. During this time, schools remained open but were understaffed as teachers had to take up additional responsibilities.
Parents expressed concerns about their children's safety during this period as there was no one available to monitor them outside of classrooms or maintain cleanliness in schools.
With this new deal in place, both sides hope to avoid any future strikes or disruptions in education services. The LAUSD superintendent Austin Beutner thanked everyone involved for their hard work towards resolving these issues peacefully.
"We are grateful for our employees' dedication and commitment towards providing quality education services," Beutner said. "This agreement reflects our respect for their work."
Overall, it is hoped that this resolution will lead to a better relationship between LAUSD administration and its support staff going forward.