Thousands of Los Angeles city workers walked off the job for a one-day strike on Tuesday, alleging unfair labor practices within their various industries.
The strikes began at Los Angeles International Airport and other locations across the city, with a rally planned for later in the day at City Hall. Workers that were seen striking included "lifeguards, traffic officers, airport custodians, engineers and sanitation workers," the Los Angeles Times reported.
The workers are protesting the city's "refusal to bargain with members in good faith and other unfair labor practices restricting employee and union rights," SEIU 721, the Southern California labor union representing the workers, said in a press release.
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"Despite repeated attempts by city workers to engage management in a fair bargaining process, the city has flat-out refused to honor previous agreements at the bargaining table," the press release added. SEIU President David Green said workers were frustrated with being forced to work longer hours for less pay, in one of the country's most expensive cities.
SEIU 721 voted this past May to authorize a strike, the first by Los Angeles city workers in more than four decades. Despite this, Los Angles Mayor Karen Bass said the city was "not going to shut down." Her office was "implementing a plan ensuring no public safety or housing and homelessness emergency operations are impacted by this action," Bass said in a statement.
This walkout is the latest in a summer of strikes for Los Angeles. Just last month, thousands of hotel workers across the city began striking for higher pay and better benefits. Then there are the dual strikes by entertainment screenwriters and the actors' guild, which have both walked off the job demanding equitable pay and protections from AI. These strikes have effectively shut down Hollywood, bringing the city's most prominent industry to a standstill.
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