For Release July 1, 2016
Fight for $15 Movement marks first big gain in Los Angeles
Landmark $15/hour minimum wage takes effect today at LAUSD
LOS ANGELES, CA – Teacher Assistants, Custodians, Cafeteria Workers and other school workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District will mark one of the first significant gains of the National Fight for $15 movement on July 1, 2016 when LAUSD, the second largest school district in the country, officially lifts its minimum wage to $15 per hour impacting nearly 20,000 workers. The wage increase, negotiated by school workers in 2014, is credited with igniting the Fight for $15 movement in Los Angeles which soon led to similar minimum wage increases in the City and County of Los Angeles and the State of California. The increase at LAUSD continues to spearhead the movement as it lifts the wage floor to $15 per hour four years before L.A. City and County reach the new minimum in 2020, and six years before the State reaches $15 in 2022.
“Lifting the minimum wage to $15 per hour at LAUSD is not only historic, it is courageous. It means 20,000 school workers, many of them parents of LAUSD students, will begin to move out of poverty and ensure greater stability and opportunity for their children,” said Max Arias, Executive Director of SEIU Local 99. “It demonstrates that workers and employers can – and must – work together to address poverty and other challenges outside the classroom that have a deep impact on student learning inside the classroom.”
Cecilyn Desvigne, a Teacher’s Assistant at Windsor Hills Magnet School and a mother of a 10-year-old and 13-year old says the new increase will have a definite impact on her family and her future. “It gives me some breathing room,” she says. “I’ve had the budget talk with my children. We only save for emergencies, never for fun, and we only buy what we need. Now, it’s nice to be able to think about what we want. This year, I had to tell my son that he couldn’t go to Boy Scout camp. The camp sounds wonderful, but it’s $800. Now with the increase, I can set aside for next summer. And my high schooler has said he wants to be a lawyer since he was in second grade. There are debate activities I’ve looked into that we couldn’t attend because it meant spending an extra $40 worth of gas to drive him there. Now, I can look at options.” As for herself, Cecilyn, a student at Southwest and West L.A. Colleges, says she’ll be able to make some headway into her own education. “I couldn’t afford the lab book for a science class. Now, I’ll be able to take the class. And I can pay the $160 for my math book. I will definitely be able to make progress. It would be nice to become a teacher.”
LAUSD School Board President Steve Zimmer said, “One of my proudest days as a Board Member was to cast my vote in favor of the $15 an hour minimum wage for the entire LAUSD family. We were not trying to lead the city or the state. We were just trying to do the right thing. We were trying to do the right thing for the workers who dedicate their lives to the safety, support and health of our children. Today, as the new minimum wage takes effect, I know that we are an important step closer to equity and justice for working families in Los Angeles. I thank the leadership of SEIU local 99 and everyone who fought for minimum wage resolution. I thank all of our workers who for too long worked for too little. I hope other districts across the nation will follow LAUSD’s lead and ensure fair wages and positive working conditions for every employee who touches the life of a child.”
LAUSD School Board Member Monica Garcia said, “For many years, SEIU Local 99 and LAUSD have been important partners working to increase the quality in our schools and pathways for quality jobs for our families and communities. Three years ago, we led the way in the fight for economic equality by committing to a $15.00 per hour minimum wage by July 1, 2016. For our employees, many who are parents of our youth on their way to graduation, this increase in wages is a great step forward. We are not done. We will continue to fight for 100% graduation and 100% participation in health benefits.”
“Some of our most hard-working employees struggle every day to provide for themselves and their families because their wages have not kept up with the high cost of living in the city of Los Angeles,” said L.A. Unified Superintendent Michelle King. “We are proud to be able to give our employees the compensation they deserve as they continue to serve our students and provide them with the safe and productive learning environments they need to thrive and succeed.”
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SEIU Local 99 represents employees throughout Southern California in public and non-public organizations in early education, child care, K-12, and community college levels, including nearly 30,000 Teacher’s Assistants, Playground Workers, Special Education Assistants, Bus Drivers, Gardeners, Custodians, Cafeteria Workers, and Maintenance Workers at LAUSD. Nearly 50% of SEIU Local 99 members are also parents or guardians of school-aged children.
