More than 11,000 public employees in Los Angeles will go on strike this Tuesday. They allege that the local administration led by Karen Bass exercised "unfair labor practices" with civil servants, in addition to the fact that a review of their contracts was agreed upon, although it has not yet happened. The stoppage will be the largest in the city in the last fifteen years.
"We’re not going to tolerate unfair labor practices during bargaining or at all. We’re fed up. We have to send a very strong message to the city," said Gilda Valdez, chief of staff of SEIU Local 721, the union that represents all Los Angeles municipal employees. Among the staffers who will walk off the job for at least 24 hours are sanitation workers, heavy-duty mechanics, traffic officers and engineers, details the Los Angeles Times.
Bass assured that they have been in negotiations for more than half a year with the SEIU Local 721 union. She also assured that the Los Angeles City Council knows the importance of municipal employees for the proper functioning of the city:
City workers are vital to the function of services for millions of Angelenos every day and to our local economy. They deserve fair contracts and we have been bargaining in good faith with SEIU 721 since January. The City will always be available to make progress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
This shutdown will interfere with normal business at Los Angeles International Airport, the Port of Los Angeles and Los Angeles City Hall. Picketing is also expected.
