On Tuesday, a three-day strike was initiated by thousands of service workers, backed by teachers, in protest against the Los Angeles Unified School District.

This has resulted in a closure of education services for half a million students in the country’s second-largest school system, the Associated Press reported.

The strike was organized by Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union, which represents approximately 30,000 support staff such as teachers’ aides, special education assistants, bus drivers, custodians, and cafeteria workers, among others.

The workers went on strike due to the district’s failure to progress contract negotiations concerning better wages and increased staffing, as reported by the AP.

The rain-soaked picket lines early Tuesday morning were joined by teachers, who then headed to a large rally outside the district’s headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.

Some protesters held signs reading “We keep schools safe, Respect Us!” The Los Angeles Unified School District, which covers Los Angeles and 25 other cities and unincorporated county areas, has more than 500,000 students, nearly three-quarters of whom are Latino.

Written by staff