Los Angeles, CA – As thousands of cafeteria workers, bus drivers, special education assistants and other dedicated school workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District begin voting this week to authorize a strike, California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, Assembly Member Mike Gipson, and the California Legislative Black Caucus, have written letters to LAUSD School Board members urging them to “negotiate in good faith and avert a strike.”
In letters written to individual school board members, Speaker Rendon writes: “After a year of negotiations, I am concerned that there is still no contract agreement with SEIU Local 99. I urge the school district to negotiate in good faith to reach a fair agreement and avert a strike … Ultimately, a strong collective bargaining agreement can improve support services for students and ensure good jobs that help families succeed.”
Writing to school board members on behalf of the California Legislative Black Caucus, Assembly Member Chris Holden, Chair of the Caucus, states in his letter: “We wholeheartedly support the custodians, cafeteria workers, special education assistants, bus driver, teacher assistants, playground assistants, and other dedicated education workers represented by SEIU Local 99 who ensure that children can learn in a clean, safe, and supportive environment. Many are working mothers and fathers, people of color whose own children attend LAUSD schools … Through their contract negotiations they are seeking to improve student services and their own livelihoods.”
In a separate letter to the board, Assembly Member Mike Gipson says: “I am writing to express my support for the members of SEIU Local 99 and their efforts to improve their lives and those of the students and families they serve.”
Nearly 30,000 LAUSD school workers who provide essential student services are voting March 12 through March 23, 2018 to decide if they will authorize a strike. After a year of negotiations, no significant movement has been made on key issues, including wages and staffing shortages. In fact, SEIU Local 99 has filed charges against the District for bargaining in bad faith. If workers vote to authorize a strike, and all legal avenues in the collective bargaining process are exhausted, a strike could come as early as this school year.
###
SEIU Local 99 is a union of 35,000 education workers in K-12 schools, early education centers and homes, administrative offices, and community colleges throughout Southern California, including 30,000 cafeteria workers, special education assistants, custodians, bus drivers and others providing essential student services at LAUSD schools. Nearly 50% of SEIU Local 99 members are also parents or guardians of school-aged children. 70% of SEIU 99 members are graduates of LAUSD schools and a great majority are members of the predominantly Black and Latino communities they serve.
Contact: Blanca Gallegos bgallegos@seiu99.org; 213-500-9594
