Who We Are

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SEIU Local 99 is a union of more than 43,000 dedicated education workers.

who we are

We are the dedicated education workers who guide our children from pre-school and kindergarten, through grade school, high school, and college. We ensure that our kids are able to learn in a clean, safe environment. We are teachers, paraeducators, custodians, cafeteria workers and others working in schools, colleges and administrative offices throughout Southern California.

We are school employees in K-12 schools, including Los Angeles Unified, Lynwood Unified, Torrance Unified, Compton Unified, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified, Hacienda/La Puente Unified, and Pleasant Valley School Districts.

We work in Early Education programs as well, from Options Head Start and State Pre-school, to CDI Head Start, and the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation.

SEIU Local 99 members also work in the Los Angeles Community College District, Ventura Community College District and the Los Angeles County Office of Education.




Our Mission

We, the working men and women believe we have a moral responsibility to the future generations to leave the world a better place for all who come after us. Therefore, we, SEIU Local 99 in both public and private sector jurisdictions, are united by the belief in the dignity and worth of workers and the services they provide. We unite to form a stronger union to build power for ourselves and to protect and develop the welfare and interest of our membership and organize all working people through education and collective actions so that we shall obtain the best possible compensation for our labor, greater control over all aspects of our work and improvements of the conditions under which we work.

We empower courageous leadership. We strive to enhance the strength and influence of the union while improving the lives of workers and their families. Our power and effectiveness depend upon the active participation and commitment of our members and solidarity with each other and our political and community allies.

Our strength comes from our unity and diversity. We must not be divided by forces of discrimination based on race, gender, ethnicity, immigration status, religion, age, physical ability, gender expression, marital status, and sexual orientation — we are standard bearers in the struggle for social, economic, global justice and civil liberties.

We pledge ourselves to provide the highest quality of services for our communities and ourselves.




Our Story

Once upon a time there were two LAUSD custodians...


1940sIn the mid-1940s, two Los Angeles Unified School District custodians Marvin Quinn and Carl Magnusen begin meeting in Marvin’s backyard over hot dogs and lemonade to organize classified public school workers. Despite Los Angeles’ reputation as being strongly anti-labor, Local 99 is founded on January 19, 1949.

1950sNow officially a part of the Building Service Employees International Union, this is the formative period in Local 99’s history, and we begin meeting with the LAUSD School Board. We are fighting for better wages and working conditions, regular hours, the elimination of split shifts, job safety, seniority, health and retirement benefits, and protecting workers’ hours. We slowly gain more classifications, adding to the custodians and gardeners who originally start our union. One of our early Secretary Treasurers, Ed Bratrud, will get legislation passed to allow a property tax override for school districts so that they can pay for employee benefits.

1960sWe’re in a decade of political activism—not just in the country, but right here in Local 99. We work to endorse and campaign for labor-friendly candidates and elect them to local and state offices. We also introduce and fight for legislation to increase member benefits. In 1966, we win biweekly paychecks instead of once-per-month paychecks. In 1968, we win fully-paid health care. We purchase our current union hall in 1969, and we join with teachers in a strike to protest poor wages and working conditions and a series of job cuts. By standing together with members of a sister union and fighting for their jobs as well as our own, nearly all jobs are saved.

1970sMembers enjoy stronger rights on the job and become more involved in our union, including forming special clubs and planning more recreational activities together, such as annual Christmas parties and Las Vegas trips. In 1975, we win passage of The Rodda Bill, giving all school employees the right to collective bargaining. LAUSD bargaining units B and C get their first contract. This victory launches Local 99’s biggest organizing drive of its 30-year history. In 1974, Dan Johnson starts the Senior Division of Local 99.

1980sThe 1980s are tough times for workers all over the country. Anti-labor policies in government are in full force. President Reagan sets the tone when he decertifies PATCO and fires 12,000 air traffic controllers overnight. These policies continue to weaken unions throughout the decade. But by the end of the decade, Local 99 workers have had enough! Our local conducts an ambitious, year-long campaign to organize Teacher Assistants. The result: another 8,000 members and strength for a new group of workers. In 1989, with regained strength, we easily win an election requiring every bargaining unit member to pay their fair share to support our work.

1990sThis is a great decade for Local 99, with many victories in our contracts, career development programs, and a new era of cooperation with and respect from the various school districts employing us. In 1991, Teachers Assistants get their first contract, which includes a bilingual differential. Following the 1994 Northridge earthquake, Local 99 members are among the first employees back on campuses working tirelessly to ready the schools for students. United States Congressman Howard Berman honors Local 99 members for our outstanding efforts during the earthquake recovery. In 1998, organizing brings 4,300 Supervision and Playground Aides into the local.

2000sIn 2000, we win key contractual agreements in Lynwood and Torrance. Early education workers at Charles Drew Head Start join Local 99 in 2001, and Options, Inc. workers join the following year. We continue our efforts to organize and negotiate contracts for more early education workers. LAUSD substitute teachers organize in 2006 and are currently negotiating their first contract. In 2007, 2,300 LAUSD cafeteria workers win health care benefits. In 2008, Local 99 launches its Member Resource Center, which utilizes a computer database to track grievances, hearings, and all other member business.





Our Communities Need Strong, Healthy Schools

Read the full SEIU Position Statement on Public Education here.

SEIU members across the country—2.2 million building cleaning and security workers, health care workers, and public service employees—have a huge stake in the quality of schools in our communities. We work as bus drivers, school custodians, food service workers, classroom aides, and other education employees. But just as importantly, our children depend on public schools for their future.

We believe that:
  • All the adults in a school contribute to education. We are often the first faces children see in their school day.  We make a big contribution to the learning environment.
  • Many children face major obstacles to learning. Too many are hungry or sick, have parents who work multiple jobs and can’t be home to supervise or help with homework, struggle with learning disabilities or mental health issues, don’t speak English at home, and live with a threat of violence at their schools and in their neighborhoods.
  • Schools should address the needs of the whole child. In partnership with parents and elected leaders, all educational professionals—teachers, paraprofessionals, classified employees—should have a voice in creating high-functioning schools in every community.
  • Children need equal access learning opportunities—from early childhood through higher education. There was a time when there was no universal access to public education for all children in the United States. Now, it is considered essential to our economy and our democracy. Today, it is time once again to expand the vision of universal access to learning opportunities for young children and young adults. We must promote lifelong learning through equal access to higher education.