FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT
Terry Carter, Spokesperson
213-700-5617 | tcarter@seiu99.org
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Friday, March 19, 2010
Los Angeles Unified School District employees, including Cafeteria Worker Frank Boeheim, want to make sure California State Assembly candidate Steve Bradford understands the importance of their contribution to good public schools. The best way was to let him roll up his sleeves and see firsthand, working a shift with Frank, helping him prepare food, wash dishes, and clean the kitchen at Fremont High School..
“I’ve been with the District nearly 13 years, more than 10 right here at Fremont. We finally got fully-staffed last year after years of being shorthanded,” explains Frank. “Now, we’re down three people, which means we can’t offer the kids the choices we used to offer and only about 30 to 40% of the campus is being fed.”
State legislators make decisions about public school funding. Frank and other District food service staff are asking legislative candidates to use their campaign platforms to advocate for better education funding, including funding for good school food that children need to be successful—and the good jobs necessary to provide that food. The Governor’s recent budget proposal cuts nearly $2.5 billion more from our schools, which could force school districts to make further cuts.
“I am humbly reminded of the vital and important work that the men and women of labor perform on a daily basis,” says Bradford. “I appreciated the invitation and opportunity to spend a day in their shoes, working side-by-side with union members who perform these tasks.”
This is part of a series of “Walk a Day in My Shoes” events inviting all the leading legislative candidates to learn firsthand the impact of budget cuts on student services and school employees.
SEIU Local 99 is a union of more than 43,000 dedicated education workers who guide our children from preschool and kindergarten, through grade school, high school, and at community colleges. We are teachers, paraeducators, custodians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, first responders, and others working in schools, colleges, and administrative offices throughout Southern California. We are part of SEIU International, the fastest-growing union in North America with 2.1 million members.
