The Service Employees International Union Local 99 (SEIU) and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) have reached a tentative deal that includes pay raises, retroactive pay, health benefits, and bonuses. The deal is still pending approval from SEIU Local 99 members and the LAUSD board.

Under the terms of the new contracts, LAUSD and SEIU agreed to salary increases ranging from 6 percent to 7 percent, an increase in the minimum wage, health benefits for part-time employees, and increased hours and pay for paraprofessionals serving students with special needs. The deal also includes a $1,000 appreciation bonus for current employees who were with the district in the 2020-21 school year and a $3 million investment in an Education and Professional Development Fund for SEIU members.

The SEIU went on strike earlier in the week, joined by members of the United Teachers Los Angeles union, seeking higher pay and increased work hours for part-time workers. Parents of students in the district said they supported the strike and the actions taken by the SEIU. John Kirk, a parent and union film industry worker, said he supported the workers and believed they should earn a more reasonable wage to live in Los Angeles or surrounding areas. Christal Lord, a teacher in the district, said many parents supported the teachers standing in solidarity with the SEIU workers because they understood the importance of workers like custodians and cafeteria workers who support their children.

LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho thanked SEIU Local 99’s leadership and Mayor Karen Bass for facilitating negotiations, saying the deal honored and elevated the dignity of the workforce while correcting long-standing inequities impacting the lowest-wage earners.