For Immediate Release: April 18, 2023  / Contact Blanca Gallegos 213-500-9594; bgallegos@seiu99.org

“The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education’s unanimous decision to approve the new contract agreement with SEIU Local 99 members is a significant step forward that recognizes the essential role that school workers play in student learning. We look forward to the school board’s expeditious implementation of this historic agreement.

The new agreement will begin to lift custodians, food service workers, campus aides, and others out of poverty. It will also bring equitable health care benefits to those who support classroom learning, lead after-school programs, and work with parents in our schools. Improving jobs at LAUSD will ultimately mean increased hiring to improve student services. 

We are thankful for the many labor and community organizations that helped raise the voices of workers in their demands for respect during their three-day strike. We particularly acknowledge the leadership of Mayor Karen Bass in facilitating discussions between our union and the school district that helped lead to this agreement. 

We are  grateful for the tremendous solidarity of teachers with United Teachers Los Angeles who joined with school workers on the strike lines. It was through the courage and sacrifice of frontline workers that we were able to shine a spotlight on the inequities in our school system. We remain united with teachers in our efforts to improve public education in our city. 

We look forward to continuing to work with the members of the LAUSD board and Superintendent Alberto Carvalho to continue to improve staffing levels, services for special needs students, and ensure clean, safe, and supportive schools for all students.” 

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SEIU Local 99 represents 50,000 education workers in K-12 schools, community colleges, early care and education and other educational settings including nearly 30,000 food service workers, custodians, special education assistants, teacher assistants, bus drivers and other essential workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District.