On April 20, 2016, the Assembly Insurance Committee voted in support of AB2197: The Summer Relief for School Workers Act. It’s the first step in the legislative process for summer unemployment insurance benefits and we still have a long way to go – but it’s a great start.
SEIU 99 Member Kathleen Hamm in Sacramento speaking out for summer relief for school workers.
We’re making our voices heard! In advance of the vote, members flooded the legislators with letters urging them to vote for the bill. And SEIU Local 99 Member and LAUSD Special Education Assistant Kathleen Hamm spoke before the Insurance Committee telling them: “I love seeing kids aspire to their fullest potential. But the summers are hard. People ask me how I make it. Well, do you know what dumpster diving is? When people are sleeping I’m out collecting glass bottles, cans, whatever is recyclable. Yet, even with these struggles, I have never thought about leaving my job. I love the kids and the students. And there are many, many dedicated school workers like me.”
Here’s how the legislators on the Assembly Insurance Committee voted on our summer unemployment insurance bill:
| Assembly Member | Vote |
| Tom Daly (Dem D-69) | YES |
| Melissa Melendez (Rep D-67) | NO |
| Travis Allen (Rep D-72) | NO |
| Franklin Bigelow (Rep D-5) | Not Present |
| Ian Calderon (Dem D-57) | YES |
| Kansen Chu (Dem D-25) | YES |
| Ken Cooley (Dem D-8) | YES |
| Jim Cooper (Dem D-9) | Not present |
| Matt Dababneh (Dem D-45) | YES |
| Brian Dahle (Rep D-1) | NO |
| Jim Frazier (Dem D-11) | YES |
| Mike Gatto (Dem D-43) | YES |
| Freddie Rodriguez (Dem D-52) | YES |
The next step is the Assembly Appropriations Committee – and it won’t be an easy fight. This has been the legislative committee where previous bills have stalled. The Appropriations Committee reviews the cost of the bill to the state. This new bill addresses some of the concerns that legislators have had in the past by phasing-in the unemployment insurance benefits over four years. You can read the full language of AB219 here. Stay tuned for updates.
We’re expanding our fight for Summer Relief!
While we continue to fight in Sacramento, we’re also expanding our local efforts for summer relief. Here are important items to keep in mind:
Summer Relief Resource Fair – Saturday, June 4, 2016: The fair brings together community businesses and organizations offering job opportunities, training and certification, and other assistance and resources to help school workers get through the summer. Save the date. More information will be available soon.
Summer School Jobs at LAUSD – We’ve been working with community organizations in the fight to increase summer school. And this year, LAUSD’s Beyond the Bell Program has announced that it will be expanding summer school for the first time since 2009. Summer classes will be open to more students at more schools. Jobs are only open to current LAUSD employees. To learn more and apply click here.
CA Primary Election is June 7 – Vote for candidates who will vote for summer relief for school workers – In addition to deciding on our nation’s next president, we will also be electing several state legislators. These elected officials will be voting on our summer unemployment insurance bill and state budgets for summer school. Be sure to vote! See our list of member-endorsed candidates here. Register to vote by May 23 to vote in the June 7 Primary Election!
