May 9, 2017
I just got back last week from our “Midnight Ride” to Sacramento to speak out for summer relief.
Earlier this year, SEIU Local 99 members and Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra introduced the Summer Bridge for School Workers Bill (AB 621) to the California State Legislature. (Click here to learn more about this bill.)
In an effort to make sure this bill passes, many of us joined the SEIU Local 99 “Midnight Ride” as part of our continued push for a solution to the cruel and unjust unemployment crisis facing too many of us every summer. Once we arrived in Sacramento, we were also joined by classified school employees from our sister unions, SEIU Local 521 and SEIU Local 1021.
We visited 61 legislators’ offices throughout the day (half of the entire California legislature in just one day!) to make sure these leaders understand how much we struggle in the summer and yet how much we love what we do to help students achieve.
Listen to my union sister Regina Smith, a Special Education Assistant at Crenshaw High School, speak with bill author Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra about why AB 621 is so important for school employees:
While we were in Sacramento, many legislators and staff expressed support for our bill, but we still have more work to do! AB 621 needs to get out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee by May 26th, and out of the full Assembly before the July recess.
“How can I get involved?”
I’m glad you asked! Here are two things you can do today:
- Send letters to the members of the California Assembly’s Appropriations Committee. Click here to send your letters today!.
- To keep up the drum beat of support, we will also visit legislators in their local district offices to ensure their support for AB 621. If you’re interested in visiting your legislators here in Southern California, please contact Manny Rangel at (213) 387-8393, ext. 122 or mrangel@seiu99.org.
In Unity,
Lynneier Boyd-Perterson
LAUSD Bus Driver
P.S. I spoke out on our behalf in newscasts across the state—see it here:
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Lynneier was featured in an interview for both ABC’s and CBS’ report on our trip to Sacramento to fight for this bill. Please note that both ABC and CBS have some inaccuracies in their reporting on AB 621. The state will contribute *two days* of pay for every one day that a school employee contributes to their summer bridge fund. The state will provide the funds and local school districts will distribute the funds to participating classified school employees.
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