Thousands of LA County workers go on strike over alleged unfair labor practices

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- More than 55,000 Los Angeles County workers went on strike Monday night, which could disrupt some services for residents.

Members of SEIU 721 - which include public works employees, public and mental health professionals, social workers, and parks and recreation staff - said they planned to walk off the job over alleged labor law violations.

Union members said if a deal was not reached, it would be the first strike of its kind in L.A. County history. Picket lines began forming at 7 p.m.

The strike is expected to last 48 hours.

The strike could impact several services, including the county's non-urgent health clinics, public libraries, wildfire clean-up services, trash pick-up and homeless encampment enforcement.

The union is citing 44 unfair labor practices they claim have gone unanswered for six months. They are calling on the county to stop contracting out and instead increase wages and fill vacancies.

"These folks... the 721 members, we're public servants. Nobody does this job because they want to get rich or because it's glamorous work. We're all here to serve the public, they feel really disrespected and they don't feel heard," said David Green, president and executive director of SEIU 721. "So it's unfortunate it's gotten to this point, but our members are very engaged and they're ready to go on strike and send a message to L.A. County that they're tired of being disrespected, and they need to negotiate in good faith."

The union claims that L.A. County management refuses to bargain with union members in good faith, alleging retaliation and surveillance of union members.

"We realize that the public is the one that loses if there 12,000 vacancies or there's almost $8 billion in contracting out that goes on," Green said. "That hurts the public, and that's what we want people to know."

The group says the county's proposal was a 0% increase for cost of living. They allege the L.A. 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 Board of Supervisors is disputing those claims, saying they're also dealing with unprecedented stresses - $4 billion on sex assault claims as well as $2 billion in impacts from January's wildfires.