On August 29, dozens of South LA community members, TAS parents and alumni came together to demand that the Board of Trustees return Hilda to her position as Health Services Coordinator. Over ten community members spoke powerfully and directly to the Board about how Hilda has touched their lives and urged the board to reconsider its abrupt termination of Hilda.
Hilda Rodriguez-Guzman is a valued South LA community resident, mother, educator, and, up until July 2019, a dedicated Health Services Coordinator at The Accelerated Schools. After 10 years of serving our students and families, Hilda was suddenly and unfairly let go by TAS. We believe Hilda was let go in retaliation for her activism. We condemn retaliation against an employee for union activism. Parents, community, students, and staff are demanding TAS bring Hilda back.
On March 8, SEIU Local 99 members and classified staff at The Accelerated Schools (TAS), a charter school in South Los Angeles, voted to overwhelmingly ratify their tentative agreement with TAS management. For years, employees at TAS dealt with poverty wages, zero paid holidays, minimal sick days, and disrespect on the job. This new agreement will lift the standard of living for every TAS employee and bring good jobs to one of Los Angeles poorest neighborhoods. Read some of the highlights.
We are parents, school workers, and community members at The Accelerated Schools (TAS). Many of us have children attending TAS schools and some of us are even founding parents. We care deeply about our school and its vision of creating a supportive learning environment. However, Mr. Williams, we are concerned that you have strayed [...]
On November 19, our bargaining committee met with TAS management and a mediator appointed by the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) to try and reach a resolution on our wages, sick days, and paid holidays. However, even with the mediator, TAS refused to make any serious movement to reach a fair agreement. That is why our bargaining committee unanimously decided to proceed to fact-finding, the last step in the negotiations process. Read more about what fact-finding means and what our next steps are.
On Friday, October 26, 2018, we led a candlelight vigil with dozens of parents, students, community members, and other members of Local 99 to make a call for justice at The Accelerated Schools (TAS). We’ve been in contract negotiations with TAS for over a year, but management refuses to work with us to reach a resolution. At the vigil, we urged TAS to live up to their mission by paying living wages and ensuring there is enough staff to provide students with the quality services and attention they need. We know we are not alone in our struggle. Our bargaining team will be going into a meeting with a mediator soon to try and reach a fair resolution.
Tere Ramos es un miembro de SEIU Local 99 en The Accelerated School (TAS), un escuela charter en el Sur de Los Angeles. Por 15 años, Tere ha cuidado de los estudiantes como trabajadora de servicios de alimentación en TAS. Pero, los salarios de pobreza en TAS dificulta que Tere obtenga la atención médica que necesita. Los miembros de TAS han estado en negociaciones por más de un año sin progreso. Como líder de su comité de negociación Tere esta compartiendo su historia para asegurar que TAS ofrezca escuelas de calidad y mejores vida para su comunidad.
Norma Acosta is a member of SEIU Local 99 at The Accelerated School (TAS), a charter school in South Los Angeles. For 6 years, Norma has served and cared for students as a food service worker at TAS' elementary school ACES. But, poverty wages at TAS make it difficult to make ends meet. TAS members have been in contract negotiations for nearly one year with no progress. As a leader on her bargaining committee, Norma is sharing her story to ensure TAS offers quality schools and better lives for the community. "It’s not right that we work full-time and have dedicated years of our lives to our jobs and we still don’t earn enough to live. TAS must set an example for the community," said Norma.
We are concerned parents and dedicated education workers of The Accelerated Schools (TAS), a charter school in South Los Angeles. We have been in contract negotiations with TAS for nearly one year with no progress. We are simply asking for fair wages that will allow us to raise our own children with dignity and ensure there is enough staff to provide the services students need. But TAS is not listening. Please join us, other SEIU Local 99 members, and members of our local community for a candlelight vigil to shine a light on how TAS can ensure quality schools and better lives in our community on Friday, October 26, at 530pm.
Maria Macedo is a parent and member of SEIU Local 99 at The Accelerated School (TAS), a charter school in South Los Angeles. For 15 years, Maria has been a dedicated education worker caring for students as a custodian at TAS. But, poverty wages at TAS make it difficult to make ends meet. TAS members have been in contract negotiations with TAS for nearly one year with no progress. As a leader on her bargaining committee, Maria is sharing her story to ensure TAS offers quality schools and better lives for the community. "The most gratifying part of my job is being able to help the students and the teachers. But, it is difficult to continue with so much work and such little pay," said Maria.
