Thousands of county workers march through downtown LA amid SEIU strike; arrests made after intersection blocked

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — From public works employees to mental health professionals, thousands of Los Angeles County workers flooded the streets of downtown L.A. Tuesday morning for the second day of their planned 48-hour strike.

More than 55,000 members of Service Employees International Union Local 721 went on strike at 7 p.m. Monday, accusing the county of failing to fairly negotiate a new labor contract.

Tuesday’s rally began outside the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration on Temple Street followed by the march. AIR7 was above the scene as it group moved through the area, which included workers and supporters.

“We’re really strong … all of us,” said Laurie Jensen, who works as a diagnostic technician. “I think it’s amazing. I’m really glad that I’m part of this, and we’re not going to give up. We’re going to keep fighting.”

Shortly before 1 p.m., police made multiple arrests after protesters blocked a major intersection and shut it down to traffic. The total number of arrests was not immediately known.

The union said it is the first strike of its kind in the county, with the walkout expected to last 48 hours. 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.

Why are L.A. County workers on strike?

The union accuses county management of refusing to bargain with union members in good faith, and allege retaliation and surveillance of union members.

The union claims the county’s proposal was a 0% increase for cost of living, and alleges the 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 there are other costs the county is facing, including $4 billion on sex assault claims and $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 the budget proposal for the 2025-26 fiscal year, including 3% cuts to some departments and the elimination of more than 200 vacant positions.

“We have to monitor our revenues,” Davenport told Eyewitness News. “Our revenues are down because interest rates are up, and the number of houses that have been sold over the last couple of years have been declining. Our main source of revenue are local property taxes, so even though we get growth every year from property taxes, the amount of that growth is declining.”

The county said it plans on meeting with union workers Tuesday night.

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.”

What other services will be impacted?

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.

Animal control officers will continue to respond to Priority One calls, which include but are not limited to incidents involving injured animals, ongoing bite incidents, and requests for police, sheriff, and fire assistance.

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.

The office is encouraging the public to visit its website, assessor.lacounty.gov and create an E-Service account. Many Assessor services can be completed online and general inquiries are often addressed through the website.

Residents can visit lacounty.gov/closures for details on possible closures or service delays caused by the strike.

City News Service, Inc. contributed to this report.