LOS ANGELES - A planned, three-day strike by service workers employed by the nation's second-largest public school district was underway Tuesday, officials said.

NBC reported the demonstrations began at a bus yard. Workers holding signs that read, "We keep schools safe, Respect Us!" joined picket lines in the rain, demanding better pay and additional staffing.

District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho had said at a news conference Monday evening that all schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District would be closed Tuesday. LAUSD has an enrollment of around 430,000 K-12 students, according to its district data website.

The Service Employees International Union Local 99 — which represents cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians and special education assistants — said its members were striking because negotiations that might have provided a solution were nonexistent. The union represents more than 30,000 district workers.

Story Date: March 23, 2023