Unions strut while L.A. students suffer

More than 400,000 Los Angeles Unified School District students are scheduled to be in class today.

Instead, they're getting an education in what it's like to be tossed out onto the streets by the caprices of public employee unions who won't sit down to do what they're going to do anyway — split some differences over wages and benefits with district management and then go back to work.

The district's tens of thousands of cafeteria workers, bus drivers, janitors and special education assistants, members of SEIU 99, walked off the job this week because they want a massive 30% pay hike.

The district has already offered a whopping 23% pay hike. But, instead of sitting down to talk over the differences, the union had to engage in the high drama, and the real pain for children and parents, of a three-day strike.

And, guess what? The district's teachers, whose union leaders are in the middle of contract negotiations of their own, just had to join them on the picket line, shutting down learning just as students are preparing for final exams, graduations, all the other things students do.

Except when the supposed adults who were formerly in the room show they're willing to choose grandstanding tactics over the inevitable negotiations that they ought to get back to now over the health and safety of the students in the nation's second-largest school district, 75% of whom come from families at or below the poverty level of income.

District management bent over backward to be conciliatory. Top leaders say they understand that the non-teacher campus workers are asking for better working conditions, not just better wages. “I understand our employees' frustration that has been brewing, not just for a couple of years but for a couple of decades,” Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said in a statement on Tuesday. “And it is on the basis of recognizing historic inequities that we have put on the table a historic proposal. This offer addresses the needs and concerns from the union, while also remaining fiscally responsible and keeping the district in a financially stable position.”

But the union bosses, both of the classified employees and the teachers, would rather strut their power to strike than stay at the table, talking. It's a lousy lesson for students.

Government failed the property owner

Re “COVID-19 destroyed private property rights” (March 19):

Your article is correct. I am a small landlord who had to continue paying a mortgage, property tax and all other costs of owning a real estate rental when my tenant lived in my property free of rent. As soon as the government announced a tenant did not have to pay rent and could not be evicted, my tenant stopped paying rent. The government claimed that the landlord would receive relief, however, this is tenant driven. I completed my form as soon as we were allowed. The government would not reimburse me for rent as the tenant did not complete their part and the case was closed with no reimbursement of lost rent. To top this off, when we were finally able to evict the tenant, we were left with an excess of $5,000 cleanup of the rental. This included removal of all the toys that the tenant was able to purchase when he was not paying rent. The government has failed property owners.

Voters must pressure the state Legislature

Re “Public schools failed us; kids need school choice” (March 19):

This opinion piece overall was well-written; however, one glaring aspect of failing schools was not mentioned: The powerful and well-funded CTA union, which spends money on lobbying and buying influence with politicians. All one needs to do is Google how much money teacher unions spend lobbying with, by far, the majority of funds donated to Democrats. They influence criminal justice reform, abortion rights, affordable housing issues, climate change and so much more, all that have nothing to do with teaching children in our public schools. The only way California students will realize a quality education is for voters to put pressure on the state Legislature to implement school choice.

COVID and what I learned

Sal Rodriguez (March 19) should have mentioned we learned how easy it was for prisoners and big corporations to steal money from our government and unemployment benefits. All California taxpayers should be told how much was stolen and how much has been recovered. Pelosi and Newsom looked down their noses at the people who paid their salaries. That's what I learned.