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TENS of thousands of workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District were set to walk off the job today over stalled contract talks.
The second largest school system in the United States, with more than 500,000 students, is set to shut down as teachers join the action in a three-day strike over wages and a demand for increased staffing.
The Service Employees International Union is asking for a 30 per cent raise. Teachers want a 20 per cent pay hike over two years.
Demonstrations were expected at schools across the city by members of the union.
Instructional aide Marlee Ostrow, who was hired nearly two decades ago at $11.75 (£9.62) an hour and today makes about $16 (£13.11), said: “There’s not even anybody applying because you can make more money starting at Burger King,” she said.
Superintendent Alberto M Carvalho said: “I believe this strike could have been avoided.”
United Teachers Los Angeles, which represents 35,000 educators, counsellors, nurses and other staff, said that it will be joining “our union siblings on the picket lines.”
