Thousands of striking Los Angeles County workers gathered outside the Hall of Administration in downtown LA today, marking the first full day of a 48-hour walkout aimed at increasing pressure on the county to negotiate a new labor contract.
More than 55,000 members of Service Employees International Union Local 721 — including public works employees, public and mental health professionals, social workers and parks and recreation personnel — went on strike at 7 p.m. Monday, accusing the county of failing to fairly negotiate a new contract, an accusation the county denies.
The union says it is the first strike of its kind in Los Angeles County. The two sides negotiated Monday night, Roxane Marquez of SEIU Local 721 told City News Service.
On Tuesday morning, the union bused members from various work sites to a rally outside the Hall of Administration at 500 W. Temple St. “to send the Board of Supervisors a powerful message: We won’t back down!”
Union members, most wearing purple shirts and many waving signs, marched on Temple Street while chanting slogans. Around midday, the group amassed near the intersection of Fifth and Figueroa streets, and about a dozen workers sat in the middle of Fifth Street
in a coordinated display of civil disobedience. Police eventually moved in and peacefully arrested the protesters one by one. The arrestees were quickly processed, cited and released at the scene.
The strike could impact a number of services, including the county’s non-urgent health clinics, public libraries, wildfire clean-up services, trash pick-up and homeless encampment enforcement.
The city of Long Beach’s separate library, homelessness, trash, public works, animal and other services were not affected by the strike. Long Beach does, however, rely on county departments in many important areas, including child welfare and mental health services.
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson issued a statement about the labor action, urging both sides “to come to the table and negotiate a fair contract with wages and benefits that reflect these workers’ contributions to our community.”
“LA County public employees are the safety net that protects our communities and neighborhoods. I’m proud to stand with the members of SEIU 721, many of whom live and work in Long Beach, in their fight for dignity and a fair contract,” Richardson said in a statement on X.
The union accuses Los Angeles County management of refusing to bargain with union members in good faith, and alleges retaliation and surveillance of union members.
The union claims the county’s proposal was a 0% increase for cost of living, and alleges the LA County Board of Supervisors was able to spend $205 million on a downtown skyscraper for new office space, while maintaining there’s no money for frontline staff.
The county disputes those claims, saying it offered the union workers a $5,000 bonus in year one as part of a three-year deal that would include “an additional bonus and cost-of-living adjustments.”
“We are trying to strike a balance — fair compensation for our workforce while sustaining services and avoiding layoffs in the midst of some of the worst financial challenges we have ever experienced,” according to the county Chief Executive Office.
The county said it is facing costs including a $4 billion sex-abuse settlement, $2 billion in impacts from January’s wildfires “and the potentially catastrophic loss of hundreds of millions or more in federal funding.”
County CEO Fesia Davenport recently released her budget proposal for the 2025-26 fiscal year, including 3% cuts to some departments and the elimination of more than 200 vacant positions.
“We are working hard to make sure our labor partners understand the financial reality of our situation,” according to a county statement. “Despite the severity of our fiscal outlook, the county has made fair and responsible counter proposals that we hope the union will seriously consider.
“We are committed to continuing constructive negotiations and to joining with labor on something we can all agree on — which is the county’s absolutely essential role in serving the people who rely on us not just for safety net services but to make their lives better.”
Several members of the Board of Supervisors also issued statements offering support for the workers and their desire to see a contract deal reached. But they cautioned about the county’s precarious financial situation.
County Library officials issued a statement saying the strike could impact services and possibly force temporary closures of some library locations.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and are preparing our operations for the strike’s potential impact on library services,” County Librarian Skye Patrick said in a statement. “In the event we have to temporarily close our libraries, we recommend customers access our Digital Library, which is open 24/7. We encourage customers to stay informed by checking our website for regular updates as the events unfold.”
Some non-urgent county clinics will be closed during the two-day strike, some beach restrooms may be closed, and there may be some delays in services provided by the medical examiner.
Residents may experience delays in several services from the Department of Animal Care and Control, including public adoptions, reclaiming pets, purchasing or renewing pet licenses, and general animal care, the county announced.
The Assessor’s Office warned that members of the public may experience longer wait times at the Hall of Administration and delays in phone response times during the strike period.
The One-Stop Shop public service counter on the first floor of the Hall of Administration will remain open.
All other Hall of Administration public service counters will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
District, regional and satellite offices will remain open but may also experience service delays, including longer counter wait times and slower phone response times.
Residents can visit lacounty.gov/closures for details on possible closures or service delays caused by the strike.