Teachers and staff in the second-largest school district in the country will be striking starting Tuesday.

This week, following several failed negotiations between the representatives of the Los Angeles Unified School District and the SEIU Local 99 – Education Workers United union, it has been decided that the staff from all of the district’s schools will be going on strike this coming Tuesday, March 21. The staff represented by Local 99, including cafeteria workers, custodial staff, bus drivers, and more will set up a picket line, while teachers represented by United Teachers Los Angeles have pledged not to cross it.

According to district Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, it is almost certain that school will not be able to be held while the strike is running, which could mean a shutdown for the second largest school district in the entire United States.

“As LAUSD parents and workers, SEIU Local 99 members know a strike will be a sacrifice but the school district has pushed workers to take this action,” Max Arias, the union’s executive director, said in a statement.

“Families have been sacrificing for far too long on poverty wages. Students have been sacrificing for too long in school environments that are not clean, safe or supportive for all,” Arias said. “Too many workers have been subjected to harassment simply for demanding change. Enough is Enough!”

“With both time and resources to be allocated in reaching an agreement, we are calling on them to come to the table for staff and students, right now,” Superintendent Carvalho said, claiming the strikers were refusing to negotiate. “We need to reach a resolution that honors the work of our dedicated employees, while respecting the rights our children have to a quality education, meals and access to enriching school activities.”