Governor Jerry Brown had a chance to provide a safety net for those unable to find temporary summer jobs. He had a chance to do the right thing. But he chose to “protect” employers.
But what about hardworking, dedicated school workers who struggle near poverty every summer? What about those of us who devote ourselves to our schools because we love the kids?
The Governor missed an opportunity by not signing AB2197, the Summer Unemployment for School Workers Bill. Beyond feeling disappointed, we should feel incredibly proud because we pushed this issue further than it has ever gone before—and we changed the conversation in Sacramento.
When we started speaking out about this injustice, California’s leaders didn’t really know about it. Now, both the Assembly and the Senate agree with us that it’s unjust to deny school workers’ access to unemployment benefits in the summer. Up until this year, our bill and its predecessors had never even made it to the Senate floor, let alone to the Governor’s desk.
We’ve come this far because we haven’t stopped fighting. Even though similar bills had already failed, we didn’t give up. Here are just some of the actions we can feel proud of:
Even though we’re not there yet with our legislative bill, with this kind of action and commitment, we will bring an end to school workers’ cruel summer.
We’re already working hard on several fronts:
Let’s keep up the fight. Let’s make sure voters pass Proposition 55 this November to secure funding for student programs, including summer school. Sign-up at seiu99.org/Prop55
Every year, as the school year comes to a close, over 284,000 education workers across California face a roughly two month period of summer unemployment. Education workers comprise dozens of different occupational titles and job descriptions that help our schools function, including paraprofessional teaching assistants, nurses’ aides, office secretaries, clerical staff, custodians, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers. Most are low-wage workers who struggle to support their families on incomes that are often not sufficient to pay for food, housing and health care. Frequently, one or more of these basic needs is not adequately met.
While teachers enjoy higher pay and the stability of a 12-month pay schedule, classified employees of public schools are left to find other means of income leading to crippling instability and uncertainty in their lives. To add insult to injury, the State of California currently and arbitrarily makes classified employees ineligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
Instead of accepting the status quo, members of SEIU Local 99 have resolved to fight this economic injustice and end the cruel summer.
We currently have a summer unemployment insurance bill — AB 2197 — moving through the California State Legislature. AB 2197 would make all school employees in California eligible to receive unemployment insurance when school is out if they meet certain requirements. This is the safety net we all need and deserve. This is the path the bill has taken, where it’s at now, and what will need to happen next if it becomes law:
Click image to enlarge.
by Yessica Escobar
Every summer, I struggle. I’ve been denied Unemployment Insurance in the past and I wasn’t able to find work during the summer. Then I learned that my union was offering a four-day “Work Readiness” course at the union hall. Attending the workshop was such a good decision! Two weeks later, I got a summer job that might even turn into a part-time position all year.
I really love my job at Byrd Middle School. After six years as a T.A., I’ve learned that I’m really good at working with the kids who seem to be struggling. And the teachers see that I have skills in this area, too. I’m usually the one who’s asked to take a child aside if they’re acting out in class. I have a really calm approach and the child and I are always able to quickly discover what’s going on.
What I never knew before was that this skill—being able to calmly interact with people in difficult situations—was valuable in pretty much any working environment. Ms. Jones, who taught the 4-day workshop, helped us see all of the “transferable skills” we had and how we could confidently take those skills to other jobs.
When I walked into a local Ross clothing store that was hiring in my neighborhood last month, I knew I had the job. I saw the hiring manager’s face as I described how I worked with difficult students and how I would use the same approach to work with difficult customers; how I would listen and stay calm and defuse the situation. They pretty much asked me “when can you start?” before I finished my sentence! It was amazing! I had never been able to do that before.
I also learned how to see possibilities. I’d been to job fairs before and I remember thinking things like “Pharmaceuticals!? What does that have to do with me? How can an educator get a job there?” But this year, when I attended Local 99’s Summer Resource Fair, I was more open. I actually “networked” and spoke to everyone.
I think this is going to change my summers forever.
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Connecting members with resources is one way SEIU Local 99 is helping members address the issue of summer unemployment. In our three-pronged approach to Summer Relief for School Workers, we are:
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| Bart Weil Special Ed Asst White Middle School |
Dear sisters and brothers:
Summertime is incredibly difficult for me. I haven’t had a summer school job since 2008 (the same year the economy took a nosedive). I can’t find summer work (“Why should we hire you to work here when you’re just going to quit in August to go back to your ‘real’ job??”). I even applied to work at Magic Mountain and Disneyland, since theme parks are supposed to have “seasonal employment,” but even they wouldn’t hire me. I go into debt every summer. Every November, I’m still paying bills from June and July.
And I know I’m not alone. Too many of you struggle every year, just like I do. Join me as we let State Senators know that dedicated school workers need a summer unemployment insurance safety net. CLICK HERE.
We continue to make progress on the Summer Unemployment Insurance for School Workers bill (AB 2197), which, if it becomes law, will be a big step to bringing some relief.
Our bill made it through the full Assembly earlier this month. This was the first time the Assembly approved our important bill and the first time the Senate will hear about our struggles during the summer. Click here to read more about what’s happening with this bill.
Join me and other SEIU Local 99 members who will be meeting with State Senators for local district lobby visits. When legislators hear directly from us about how crazy it is that we are denied unemployment insurance benefits, we have been able to get them to agree that this law must be changed. Click here to join us on one of these local appointments with our State Senators.
It’s important to remember that if the Senate approves AB 2197 and the Governor signs it, we will still have a lot of work to do to turn “cruel summer” into “cool summer.” We must:
I want to personally thank every SEIU Local 99 member who has been on one of our “Midnight Rides” lobby trips to Sacramento, sent emails, signed petitions and post cards, made calls to legislators and appeared at hearings for Summer Unemployment Insurance.
Together, we’re doing this!
In Solidarity,
Bart Weil
P.S. We’re also looking for SEIU Local 99 members to join us for a local lobby visit with Assemblymember Mike Gipson to urge him to support AB 2835, which would require public employers to provide all newly hired public employees with a thorough orientation during the regular workday and at the worksite. This orientation would ensure that public employees (like school workers!) know our rights, job protections, employee benefits and safety plans. Click here if you’d like to join us.
SEIU Local 99 Executive Director Max Arias issued the following statement on the passage of AB2197 to extend a basic unemployment safety net to dedicated school workers during the summer break:
“As school begins to wind down, a season of uncertainty and struggle begins for thousands of cafeteria workers, special education assistants, campus safety officers, bus drivers and other classified school workers who are the only seasonal employees in California who are denied access to our unemployment insurance benefits when work is not available. AB2197 (Garcia) will provide a safety net for workers who have chosen to commit their life’s work to helping educate our children but who must struggle to provide for their own families during the summer break.
Today’s passage of the bill by the Assembly Appropriations Committee marks a significant step forward toward ensuring economic stability for thousands of dedicated school workers who are currently shut out of unemployment insurance benefits in the summer months when work is not available.
Extending unemployment benefits is a win-win for California and California’s working families. According a report by the Economic Roundtable, including education workers in our employment safety net would bring an additional $187.3 million in economic activity and an extra $12.1 million in state and local tax revenue.
We must do more to ensure school jobs are good jobs by improving wages, increasing full time work, expanding summer school, and ensuring school workers have access to unemployment benefits when they need them. This legislation is a step forward toward ensuring that dedicated school workers can support their families while continuing to provide quality services to students during the school year.”
Assembly Bill 2197 would bring justice to the current unemployment insurance system by:
Recognizing the difference between the principal and the lunch lady.
Classified employees are among the lowest paid workers in our schools and most work less than eight hours a day. Yet, current law is based on the rationale that all school workers – from administrators to teachers to cafeteria workers – earn enough during the school year to cover the three month summer recess period.
Ensuring equity for all seasonal workers.
Classified school employees are the only seasonal workers prohibited by California law from receiving unemployment benefits. Sports stadium employees, farm workers, retail employees and other seasonal employees are eligible for unemployment benefits during their seasonal break periods.
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SEIU Local 99 represents nearly 45,000 employees in public and non-public organizations in early education, child care, K-12, and community college levels. SEIU Local 99 members are: Teacher’s Assistants, Playground Workers, Special Education Assistants, Bus Drivers, Gardeners, Custodians, Cafeteria Workers, Maintenance Workers, Family Service Workers, Child Care Providers, and others working in schools, colleges, and administrative offices throughout Southern California.
Contact: Blanca Gallegos 213-500-9594
On April 20, 2016, the Assembly Insurance Committee voted in support of AB2197: The Summer Relief for School Workers Act. It’s the first step in the legislative process for summer unemployment insurance benefits and we still have a long way to go – but it’s a great start.
SEIU 99 Member Kathleen Hamm in Sacramento speaking out for summer relief for school workers.
We’re making our voices heard! In advance of the vote, members flooded the legislators with letters urging them to vote for the bill. And SEIU Local 99 Member and LAUSD Special Education Assistant Kathleen Hamm spoke before the Insurance Committee telling them: “I love seeing kids aspire to their fullest potential. But the summers are hard. People ask me how I make it. Well, do you know what dumpster diving is? When people are sleeping I’m out collecting glass bottles, cans, whatever is recyclable. Yet, even with these struggles, I have never thought about leaving my job. I love the kids and the students. And there are many, many dedicated school workers like me.”
Here’s how the legislators on the Assembly Insurance Committee voted on our summer unemployment insurance bill:
| Assembly Member | Vote |
| Tom Daly (Dem D-69) | YES |
| Melissa Melendez (Rep D-67) | NO |
| Travis Allen (Rep D-72) | NO |
| Franklin Bigelow (Rep D-5) | Not Present |
| Ian Calderon (Dem D-57) | YES |
| Kansen Chu (Dem D-25) | YES |
| Ken Cooley (Dem D-8) | YES |
| Jim Cooper (Dem D-9) | Not present |
| Matt Dababneh (Dem D-45) | YES |
| Brian Dahle (Rep D-1) | NO |
| Jim Frazier (Dem D-11) | YES |
| Mike Gatto (Dem D-43) | YES |
| Freddie Rodriguez (Dem D-52) | YES |
The next step is the Assembly Appropriations Committee – and it won’t be an easy fight. This has been the legislative committee where previous bills have stalled. The Appropriations Committee reviews the cost of the bill to the state. This new bill addresses some of the concerns that legislators have had in the past by phasing-in the unemployment insurance benefits over four years. You can read the full language of AB219 here. Stay tuned for updates.
While we continue to fight in Sacramento, we’re also expanding our local efforts for summer relief. Here are important items to keep in mind:
Summer Relief Resource Fair – Saturday, June 4, 2016: The fair brings together community businesses and organizations offering job opportunities, training and certification, and other assistance and resources to help school workers get through the summer. Save the date. More information will be available soon.
Summer School Jobs at LAUSD – We’ve been working with community organizations in the fight to increase summer school. And this year, LAUSD’s Beyond the Bell Program has announced that it will be expanding summer school for the first time since 2009. Summer classes will be open to more students at more schools. Jobs are only open to current LAUSD employees. To learn more and apply click here.
CA Primary Election is June 7 – Vote for candidates who will vote for summer relief for school workers – In addition to deciding on our nation’s next president, we will also be electing several state legislators. These elected officials will be voting on our summer unemployment insurance bill and state budgets for summer school. Be sure to vote! See our list of member-endorsed candidates here. Register to vote by May 23 to vote in the June 7 Primary Election!
April 19, 2016—A new bill to allow school employees to receive summer unemployment insurance benefits has been introduced by Assembly Member Cristina Garcia (District 58).
The new bill, the Summer Relief for School Workers Act (Assembly Bill 2197) will be heard by the Assembly Insurance Committee tomorrow, Wednesday, April 20. This is the first step in the legislative process and we’ve got to make our voices heard.
UPDATE! » So many SEIU Local 99 members responded to our Action Alert that legislators reached out to our Union to express support for AB2197: The Summer Relief for School Workers Act. Legislators received thousands of letters in just a few hours. We can be proud that we’ve delivered our message to members of the Assembly Insurance Committee that will be voting on the bill tomorrow. Remember, tomorrow’s hearing is only the first step in the legislative process. This will be a tough fight and we still have a long way to go—but we’re standing strong.
SEIU Local 99 Member Kathleen Hamm will be traveling to Sacramento tomorrow to continue to carry our message. She will be speaking before the Assembly Insurance Committee and urging them to support summer unemployment benefits for school workers and other efforts to provide summer relief for dedicated school workers.
Click here to sign-up for more updates, including information about our upcoming Summer Relief Resource Fair and efforts to expand summer school.
We all know that changing the state’s unemployment insurance system is not going to be easy. The bills we’ve sponsored in the past have not made it through the legislative process. But that doesn’t mean we’re going to give up. We must continue to make our voices heard!
And look for upcoming information about our Summer Relief Resource Fair on June 4. And more news about how we’re expanding our fight for summer school. United, we can continue to fight for summer relief – in Sacramento, in our school districts, and in our communities!
Check out photos from the 2015 Summer Relief Resource Fair
Saturday, June 4, 2016 from 10 am to 2 pm at
Edward R. Roybal Learning Center
1200 Colton St.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
As the school year winds down, we want to make sure all of us have the resources and information we need to get job-ready and get through the summer break. This is what the Summer Relief Resource Fair is all about!
This member-only fair will feature informative workshops and vendors offering a variety of services and opportunities. Please be aware that the Summer Relief Resource Fair is not a job fair. Although there will be some employers present, they may or many not be recruiting.
Register to attend to receive email updates on confirmed workshops, vendors, and more.
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Vendors
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Workshops
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Please find the La Opinión article here.
Translation into English below…
Esmeralda Torres works as a teacher’s assistant in the area of special education.
By: Yurina Melara
Apr 28, 2015
In the summer, Esmeralda Torres leaves the classroom to sell tamales, tostadas and oranges.
Esmeralda is one of the more than 284,000 school employees in California with no income during the summer who must rely on whatever they can to survive.
In the case of Esmeralda, a Carson resident and employee of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), she survives by selling food to her neighbors, and if the need is still great, she borrows money from her sisters.
“I’ve looked for work in shops during the summer, but everywhere I look they say the same thing, they cannot give me a job if I’m staying for such a short time. I have applied for jobs at schools with summer programs, but find it a matter of luck,” said Esmeralda, who has worked as special education assistant for 12 years.
She says she loves her job and is very happy professionally with the help she gives children in special education. During her working months, Esmeralda sets aside $100 per month as a special fund for the summer, but that little money is not enough to cover their expenses and help her two daughters in college.
Administrative employees, teachers, librarians and school nurses are paid for 12 months. Other employees, such as this Mexican immigrant, do not earn enough to split their salary in 12 months. The average annual income of these employees is $ 20,700.
A bill in Sacramento, AB399, would extend unemployment benefits to workers during the summer months.
“Many of these employees fall into the category of poor,” said Patrick Burns, author of a report that reveals the profile of these school workers who are not paid during the summer.
Three out of four of these workers are women. Two out of three have some level of higher education, including 16% who have a college diploma or a specialty.
“Too often they rely on food stamps or welfare. The current system falsely assumes that a cafeteria employee can survive without a summer paycheck as easily as a principal,” said Burns, who believes that a good option is to extend unemployment benefits.
According to the study, extended unemployment benefits would have add $187 million in wealth to the state economy.
Wednesday, Esmeralda and other LAUSD employees will travel to Sacramento to talk with legislators and promote AB399.
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release Contacts: Blanca Gallegos 213-500-9594; bgallegos@seiu99.org
April 28, 2015 Terry Carter 213-700-5617; tcarter@seiu99.org
LOS ANGELES, CA — Just weeks before school lets out for the summer, classified school workers rallied and took a midnight bus ride to Sacramento to urge legislators to support Assembly Bill 399: The Education Workers Summer Relief Act, which would allow classified school workers to receive unemployment benefits during the summer break.
Despite their dedication to California’s school children, classified school workers are forced into a cycle of debt and poverty to survive the summer. Current law excludes them from receiving unemployment insurance (UI) benefits when work is not available during the summer recess. In fact, they are the only seasonal employees who are denied UI benefits during their seasonal break. Hollywood writers, sports stadium employees, farm workers and retail employees are all eligible for unemployment benefits during their off-season break. And finding other work for the break period is virtually impossible as employers don’t want to invest in school district employees who will return to their school jobs after a few weeks.
“I love being in the classroom. But every summer I struggle. I wonder if I can afford to stay at the job I love,” said Esmeralda Torres, a Special Education Assistant at Stephen M. White Middle School in Los Angeles. “Every summer, I apply for summer school. If there’s no work for me with the school district, I try the local restaurants and shops. It’s always the same story. No one wants to hire me for such a short time. So we borrow money and try to hang on to our home until September. It’s hard. But I can’t imagine another job. Education is my life.”
Current state law is based on the rationale that all school workers earn enough during the school year to last through the summer recess. But according to Cruel Summer, a recent report by Economic Roundtable, the median annual earnings of classified workers in California in 2012 was only $20,700, well below self-sufficiency standards. In comparison, teachers, principals, librarians and other certificated school employees earn middle class incomes that can last through the summer recess.
The Cruel Summer report also highlights how extending unemployment insurance benefits to school workers would positively impact California’s economy, adding $187.3 million in sales for California businesses, $12.1 million in state and local tax revenues and increased jobs.
“California must do a better job of compensating the working people who help our children learn in safe, clean, healthy and supportive schools,” said Max Arias, Executive Director of SEIU Local 99. “The reality is that many of the men and women working in our schools are also parents of school-aged children. Extending unemployment benefits to classified school workers is one way we can enable more working families to make their way solidly into the middle class, instead of enduring summer after summer of financial crisis.”
Assembly Member Sebastian Ridley-Thomas has introduced AB399: The Education Workers Summer Relief Act to help end the cruel summer many school workers are forced to endure every year. The bill was approved by the Assembly Insurance Committee on April 22 and will be heard next month by the Assembly’s Appropriations Committee.
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SEIU Local 99 is a union of education workers in K-12 schools, early education centers and homes, administrative offices, and community colleges throughout Southern California, including teacher assistants, custodians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers and others providing essential student services at LAUSD. Nearly 50% of SEIU Local 99 members are also parents or guardians of school-aged children.
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