Dear SEIU Local 99 Member,

Welcome Back to School! 

It’s that time again…time to greet our city’s children! And we have some HUGE opportunities this year to make a difference in student success and in our jobs.

November Election

These past few years, we’ve started to turn a corner with our schools. The devastating education budget cuts stopped. We restored some jobs and hours, bringing improvements to student services. More schools are offering summer school. Some schools offer supper programs. The minimum wage in the District is now $15 an hour as of July 1, 2016. We expanded affordable health care coverage, making our school environments healthier for all.

That’s why SEIU Local 99 members will be urging voters to support Proposition 55 this November. Proposition 55 will continue to bring funding to our schools. Without Prop. 55, we risk going back to the days of lunch lines so long that kids don’t have time to eat, overcrowded classrooms, disappearing arts and music programs and other cuts to student services. Click here to learn more about Prop. 55.

Let’s keep cuts to student services a thing of the past. Sign up today to join your co-workers in SEIU Local 99’s “Yes on 55” efforts to reach out to voters by phone and neighborhood walks!

Here are some important dates to join us! Click here to RSVP today!

• Saturday, September 10th — “YES ON 55!” KICKOFF
• Wednesday, October 12th — Join us on LAUSD’s “Unassigned Day”
• Tuesday, November 8th — Take a Vacation Day and help us “Get out the Vote” on Election Day

Our Contract

As this school year begins, so does our conversation together about what we want to see in our next Union contract with the District. The first step is to make sure we pass Proposition 55 so that the District has the funds to fully support the important student services that we provide. Then—after we determine together what our priorities are—we plan to sit down at the bargaining table across from the District as early as January. This is a critical time for SEIU Local 99 members.

Our Strength

…lies in our unity and our commitment to work together collectively. This is how we resolve workplace issues, improve student services and fight to make sure school jobs are good jobs that allow us to support ourselves and our families.

The first line of defense in this work is our Stewards. This year, we will continue to focus on our Steward Councils so that management understands member leaders at our worksites are the first line of defense against any violations of our contract. Our next Steward Training is scheduled for October 1st. (If you’re interested in being a worksite steward, click here to learn more, including information on collecting signatures to be nominated.)

Take a leadership role in your union…attend SEIU Local 99’s 2-Day Leadership Training on standing up for our rights on the job, talking to co-workers about our strength in numbers, and making sure we have a voice in “People Powered Politics.” Sign up for Leadership Training today!

One important thing you can do now to make sure we continue to improve our jobs is make sure you are a full SEIU Local 99 Member. If your paycheck lists you as an “Agency Fee Payer” that means you’re not a full member. Our numbers are our strength when we go to the District to fight for anything, so make sure you are a full and active member. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP.

Once again, have a great school year. And remember that our contract includes many job protections. But it’s only strong if we all know and enforce what’s in it. If you have any questions about your job or believe our contract is being violated, contact your Steward or complete our online Inquiry Form. 

Let’s continue to stand together—for our jobs, our students and our communities.

In Solidarity,