Los Angeles City workers prepare for one-day strike
The City of Los Angeles is preparing for a wide array of possible service disruptions from trash pickup to swimming-pool closures as 11,000+ city workers plan for a one-day walkout on Tuesday.
"We regret this inconvenience, but we can assure you that the city is continuing to negotiate with its unions and we do not anticipate a prolonged work stoppage," City Council President Paul Krekorian said in a statement directed at residents.
Some municipal pools may be closed Tuesday, and Krekorian urged residents to call in advance. He said city-operated preschools and daycare centers will be open as usual.
Krekorian recommended that airline passengers departing from Los Angeles International Airport plan to arrive an hour earlier than normal due to possible picketing at the airport. Trash pickup, meanwhile, will be delayed by one day, he said.
The workers plan to picket for 24 hours at various locations, including City Hall and LAX to protest what their union calls "a refusal to bargain in good faith." The walkout would mark the first such strike action in more than 40 years.
The employees, including sanitation workers, heavy duty mechanics, traffic officers and engineers represented by SEIU Local 721, voted overwhelmingly in May, with 98% approval, to authorize an unfair labor practice strike if negotiations stalled.
Union officials said the workers will meet at 11 a.m. Tuesday at City Hall for a march and rally, though picket lines will begin as early as 4 a.m. at sites throughout the city.
"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, prompting workers to file charges alleging unfair labor practices with the city of Los Angeles Employee Relations Board," SEIU 721 officials said in a statement last week.
Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement Saturday saying Los Angeles officials are available around the clock "to make progress" on contract negotiations.
"City workers are vital to the function of services for millions of Angelenos every day and to our local economy," Bass said. "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, seven days a week."
The most recent strike by Los Angeles city workers occurred in November 1980.
Here are some expected changes to services expected during the strike on Tuesday:
PUBLIC SAFETY: Emergency LAPD and LAFD services will not be impacted.
HOMELESS AND HOUSING SERVICES: Daily city-run homeless and housing services will not be impacted. The Los Angeles Department of Housing hotline will be operational.
TRASH PICK UP AND OTHER DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION SERVICES: Customers can anticipate a one day delay in collection services. Tuesday collections will be collected on Wednesday, Wednesday collections will be on Thursday, Thursday collections will be on Friday, and Friday collections will be on Saturday. Normal collection services are anticipated to resume by Monday, August 14, 2023.
CARE and CARE+ operations originally scheduled for Tuesday, August 8, 2023 will now be deferred to Saturday, August 12, 2023. All wastewater and conveyance operations are expected to proceed as normal.
For any unanticipated sewer related emergencies, LASAN may utilize on-call contractors to provide repairs or maintenance as needed. For more information, call our 24/7 Customer Care Center at 1-800-773-2489 or visit lacitysan.org
TRAFFIC SERVICES: Service impacts may include parking enforcement, traffic operations and control for permitted special events, and constituent calls for service to signals and sign repair. Residents may experience traffic delays at major events held within the City of Los Angeles.
POOLS AND PARKS: The Department of Recreation and Parks anticipates possible aquatics program cancellations and potential pool closures. The public is encouraged to visit the Department of Recreation and Parks website for real-time updates and click on the "current pool status" link for real-time information on facility closures. Park maintenance may also be impacted.
CITY-OPERATED SUMMER CAMPS & DAY CARE: Summer camps will continue to operate at recreational facilities and any changes will be communicated immediately to parents. City-operated preschools and daycare centers will open as usual.
SERVICES AT LAX: Passengers are encouraged to allow for extra time to travel to and from LAX. LAX staff are working with airport partners to mitigate impacts on guests.
ANIMAL SERVICES: Animal shelters will be closed to the public. Shelters will be open for emergency services including sick and injured animals as well as animals that may pose public safety risks.
LOS ANGELES CITY ZOO SERVICES: Possible impacts will be provided at lazoo.org tomorrow morning.
LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY: Library services will not be impacted.
The 311 Call Center:The 311 Call Center will be open and operational. Wait times may be longer than average.
