Historic Triple Strike Looms at LAUSD: Unions Set to Shut Down Schools for 390,000 Students on April 14

Families, students, and dedicated educators across Los Angeles are bracing for what could become one of the most disruptive and historic strikes in LAUSD history. According to a new report from the Los Angeles Times, three powerful unions—UTLA (representing teachers, counselors, and nurses), SEIU Local 99 (bus drivers, cafeteria workers, custodians, and other classified staff), and AALA/Teamsters 2010 (administrators and principals)—are set to walk out on April 14, 2026, unless a deal is reached in the final days of negotiations.

This would mark the first time teachers, non-teaching support staff, and administrators strike together, making it impossible for the district to keep any campuses open. Nearly 390,000 students would lose in-person instruction, meals, transportation, and supervision. Parents are already scrambling for childcare alternatives, reliable internet for online learning via Schoology, and community food distribution sites. The district is exploring limited regional hubs, but officials admit the scale of the shutdown leaves few real options.

Union Demands vs. Fiscal Reality

The unions are pushing aggressive demands:

• UTLA wants to raise starting teacher pay by an average 17% increase overall to “offset” Gov. Newsome’s and other state and local government inflationary taxes.
• Local 99 is rejecting the district’s 13% offer over three years and demanding the reversal of nearly 700 layoffs.
• Administrator groups are seeking 7% + 6% raises.

LAUSD says it has offered significant increases—including a 3% bonus plus phased permanent raises for teachers totaling hundreds of millions annually—but cannot afford more without accelerating its budget crisis. The district faces ongoing deficit spending that could erase its $5 billion reserve in just 3–4 years. A neutral fact-finder recently expressed doubts about the unions’ claims of affordability while noting the district’s proposals supposedly reflect good-faith efforts.

But, It’s Students and Families Pay the Price—Again

At CEAFU, we have seen this story before. When union bosses wield monopoly bargaining power, students and working families are the ones held hostage. Low-income communities that rely on LAUSD for meals, safety, and structure suffer the most. State testing, college-prep exams, and daily learning routines are thrown into chaos while union leaders prioritize steep raises over realistic, sustainable agreements.

Forced unionism laws in California give these union officials exclusive control over negotiations—even for the many educators who disagree with the strike or would prefer to keep working. Teachers and staff who want to put students first are often pressured into solidarity or risk retaliation.“Nobody wants a strike,” the district has said. Yet here we are—once again—watching union power plays threaten an entire school year.

What You Can Do

• Parents: Update your contact info in Blackboard Connect, prepare devices for online learning, and line up childcare and meal options now.
• Educators: Know your rights. You do not have to support every union action. Contact Foundation Attorneys for free, confidential guidance on your options.
• Taxpayers and community members: Demand that school boards and lawmakers prioritize students over union demands.

Education Belongs in Teachers’ Hands—not Union Bosses’

If you or a colleague is facing pressure from union officials during this strike threat, reach out to our team at the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation today. We are here to protect the rights of individual educators.

Concerned Educators Against Forced Unionism (CEAFU) is a special project of the National Right to Work Legal Defense and Education Foundation.