LAUSD students head back to class

LOS ANGELES (CNS) — More than 400,000 students in the LA Unified School District returned to classes Friday following a three-day strike by service workers that shuttered the nation’s second-largest school system and culminated in a massive labor rally at Los Angeles State Historic Park.

No new contract came out of the three-day walkout by members of the Service Employees International Union Local 99 — but district officials issued a statement Friday saying talks were continuing.

“As students and employees return to schools today, Los Angeles Unified officials continue to be in conversation with SEIU Local 99 leaders,” according to the district. “We remain hopeful that we will reach an equitable agreement that recognizes the hard work of our employees and maintains the financial stability of the district.

“We know that our students, families and employees are counting on us to reach a resolution.”

Mayor Karen Bass has been facilitating discussions between the sides, but it remained unclear if the talks were materializing into actual contract negotiations.

Nevertheless, it will be back to school on Friday, as the union confirmed Wednesday night it would hold to its threeday strike strategy.

“Welcome back to school,” LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho tweeted Friday morning.

With students missing three days of school during the strike, the district on Friday extended the registration deadline for its next round of “Acceleration Days,” which are extra days of instruction originally implemented to provide students a chance to catch up on learning loss that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic campus shutdowns.