30,000 educators demand higher wages to counter the cost of living in Los Angeles.

Thousands of Los Angeles public school teachers are prepared to walk off the job on April 14 unless a contract agreement is reached, union leaders announced during a massive downtown rally on Wednesday.

United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) set the mid-April deadline during a demonstration at Grand Park, where they were joined by members of SEIU Local 99 and the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles. While the move signals a significant escalation in the yearlong labor dispute, union officials noted that the multi-week window provides both sides a final opportunity to avert what would be the district’s first major strike since 2019.

The union, which represents more than 30,000 educators, is seeking a 17% salary increase over two years. Leadership argues the raise is a necessity for employees struggling to keep pace with the high cost of living in Southern California.

Beyond wages, the union’s demands include:

Salary (including fixing the broken salary scales with a significant raise for every member at every level)

Class size enforcement 

Limits on subcontracting and AI 

PSA, PSW, and school psychologist staffing

Arts and Physical Education staffing

Special Education and inclusion support

Teachers have been working without a contract since last year. Although a deal was struck less than three years ago, members maintain that current conditions and compensation remain inadequate. A 2019 walkout by the same union lasted six days before a resolution was reached.