Thousands of Los Angeles County workers continued a planned two-day strike Tuesday, impacting a range of public services. The job action began Monday evening after contract negotiations with the county stalled.
More than 55,000 members of SEIU Local 721, representing employees from public works to mental health, initiated the walkout. The union maintains the county has not negotiated a new labor contract fairly and alleges unfair labor practices by county management.
Union leaders claim the county’s wage proposal is inadequate and point to county spending decisions they say do not prioritize frontline staff.
County officials dispute the union's claims regarding negotiations. They cite substantial financial burdens as limiting factors in contract talks. These include a large sex abuse settlement totaling billions and recovery costs from recent wildfire costs.
The county also points to a potential loss of federal grants as adding pressure to the budget outlook. County CEO Fesia Davenport recently outlined a budget proposal that includes departmental cuts and eliminating vacant positions due to declining revenue growth, primarily from property taxes.
The strike is affecting county operations. Residents may experience delays in services like mental health appointments, library access, and animal care. Some public service counters at the Hall of Administration are closed. Updates on impacts are available at lacounty.gov/closures.
The situation contrasts with the City of Los Angeles, which recently faced downgrades to its bond ratings and proposed layoffs following earlier agreements on employee raises.
County officials stated they planned to meet with union workers Tuesday evening as the strike continues.
County CEO Fesia Davenport commented on the fiscal approach, saying, "We don't want to negotiate ourselves into a structural deficit."
