Our History
OUR SERVICE
Our History
1940
During the 1950s, SEIU Local 99 members earned wages far below the poverty line and lacked respect from teachers and administrators. Education workers were determined to earn higher wages,and gain respect in their workplaces.
School workers successfully eliminated split shifts and secured regular working hours for more job stability. Our early leaders also fought for job safety, seniority rights, more fairness at work. Eventually, our union elders won health and retirement benefits.
During the 1960s education workers fought for and won weekly paychecks. For workers living check to check, this was a huge victory, and was very popular among the membership. In 1968, our education worker elders won fully-paid health care for the majority of employees at LAUSD. Later that same year, education workers united with teachers to strike for better wages, and improved working conditions. The unified power of education workers and classroom teachers advocated for and won raises, and a safer, more equitable work environment.
1960
In 1975, SEIU Local 99 championed and passed a new state law in California called the Rodda Act. This milestone legislation granted all school employees the right to engage in collective bargaining, marking a significant step towards improving their rights and working conditions.
SEIU Local 99, Education Workers United, skillfully negotiated and secured their first contract for newly organized groups of education workers at LAUSD.. This contract showcased the effectiveness of SEIU 99’s advocacy and negotiation skills. The new law allowed SEIU Local 99 to organize in multiple school districts across Southern California.
For decades, many senior school administrators and some teachers who treated trained teacher’s assistants and education professionals like personal assistants and errand boys. During the 1980s, SEIU Local 99 organized over 8,000 Teacher’s Assistants across the LA area who demanded better pay, clear job descriptions, and respect on the job.
The newly added teacher’s assistants won their first contract. The contract was an important victory for the warm-hearted, compassionate, and dedicated local community residents who make great sacrifices to support public education. Most importantly, it provided these teacher’s assistants with a voice on the job, enabling them to actively participate in discussions and decisions affecting their professional lives.
In 2007, a significant victory was achieved by 2,300 food service workers at LAUSD, who won health care benefits. SEIU Local 99 expanded its influence beyond LAUSD, organizing workers in other school districts across the region. During this time, they won healthcare benefits for part-time workers and raises for education workers, and early childhood education providers.
Education workers also led progressive school reforms that addressed historic inequalities, and barriers for many working class students. SEIU Local 99 supported vital education reforms such as preparing all students for college, expanding the ability of on campus health clinics to the larger community, providing free breakfast and lunch for all students, and demanding more investment in underperforming schools.
SEIU Local 99 also supported ending “willful defiance” suspensions that overwhelmingly targeted Black and Latino youth. Most importantly, SEIU Local 99 led in the passage of a series of bond measures to build, repair, and upgrade over 200 campuses, including the first new school in the Eastside in decades and complete overhauls of failing schools like Jordan High.
During the 2010s, Education Workers United organized thousands of early child care providers. At local schools, SEIU 99 fought for summer work hour provisions, and securing benefits for part-time employees, increasing pension funding, and enhancing health benefits for members.
SEIU Local 99 also expanded its work in social justice, helping to elect numerous officials who played pivotal roles in raising the LA, and state minimum wage, and standing up for working families.
The union was a key player in advocating for and achieving significant educational advancements. One of their notable successes was the implementation of A-G college coursework requirements for all students, ensuring a more comprehensive and equitable educational foundation. Additionally, SEIU Local 99 played a pivotal role in launching the largest new school construction project in American history. This ambitious initiative led to the building or remodeling of over 200 schools, significantly enhancing educational infrastructure.
SEIU 99 also successfully campaigned for the elimination of ‘willful defiance’ suspensions, a disciplinary practice that disproportionately affected Latino and Black students, thereby addressing a critical issue of racial prejudice in school discipline.
As SEIU 99 ramped up its fight to end the school-to-prison pipeline, its efforts contributed to a transformative shift in juvenile courts, moving from imposing harsh prison sentences on youth to focusing on education and rehabilitation. SEIU 99 was instrumental in leading the movement to end the transfer of inmates from LA County jails to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) custody.
Furthermore, the union supported the resentencing of thousands of individuals who were over-sentenced as a result of the failed war on drugs. These actions represented SEIU 99’s commitment to correcting systemic injustices and promoting fairer, more humane policies in both education and the criminal justice system.
Because Education workers united across the region decades ago, they have been able to steadily increase the number of workers in their union, the pay and benefits in workers contracts, respect on the job, and influence in the educational and larger community of Los Angeles.
This decisive action led to a temporary shutdown, fueled by the union’s unwavering determination to secure improved working conditions and respect for its members. Workers exclaimed, “They called us heroes, and now they offer zeros,” highlighting the stark contrast between the appreciation shown by school district administrators during the COVID-19 shutdown and the subsequent disrespectful and meager raises offered during union contract negotiations.
The successful strike resulted in significant gains for the workers, including back pay bonuses and substantial raises of up to 30%, along with additional work hours and other benefits. These achievements marked a major milestone in the union’s efforts to improve the livelihoods and recognition of education workers at LAUSD.
1940
During the 1950s, SEIU Local 99 members earned wages far below the poverty line and lacked respect from teachers and administrators. Education workers were determined to earn higher wages,and gain respect in their workplaces.
School workers successfully eliminated split shifts and secured regular working hours for more job stability. Our early leaders also fought for job safety, seniority rights, more fairness at work. Eventually, our union elders won health and retirement benefits.
During the 1960s education workers fought for and won weekly paychecks. For workers living check to check, this was a huge victory, and was very popular among the membership. In 1968, our education worker elders won fully-paid health care for the majority of employees at LAUSD. Later that same year, education workers united with teachers to strike for better wages, and improved working conditions. The unified power of education workers and classroom teachers advocated for and won raises, and a safer, more equitable work environment.
1960
In 1975, SEIU Local 99 championed and passed a new state law in California called the Rodda Act. This milestone legislation granted all school employees the right to engage in collective bargaining, marking a significant step towards improving their rights and working conditions.
SEIU Local 99, Education Workers United, skillfully negotiated and secured their first contract for newly organized groups of education workers at LAUSD.. This contract showcased the effectiveness of SEIU 99’s advocacy and negotiation skills. The new law allowed SEIU Local 99 to organize in multiple school districts across Southern California.
For decades, many senior school administrators and some teachers who treated trained teacher’s assistants and education professionals like personal assistants and errand boys. During the 1980s, SEIU Local 99 organized over 8,000 Teacher’s Assistants across the LA area who demanded better pay, clear job descriptions, and respect on the job.
The newly added teacher’s assistants won their first contract. The contract was an important victory for the warm-hearted, compassionate, and dedicated local community residents who make great sacrifices to support public education. Most importantly, it provided these teacher’s assistants with a voice on the job, enabling them to actively participate in discussions and decisions affecting their professional lives.
In 2007, a significant victory was achieved by 2,300 food service workers at LAUSD, who won health care benefits. SEIU Local 99 expanded its influence beyond LAUSD, organizing workers in other school districts across the region. During this time, they won healthcare benefits for part-time workers and raises for education workers, and early childhood education providers.
Education workers also led progressive school reforms that addressed historic inequalities, and barriers for many working class students. SEIU Local 99 supported vital education reforms such as preparing all students for college, expanding the ability of on campus health clinics to the larger community, providing free breakfast and lunch for all students, and demanding more investment in underperforming schools.
SEIU Local 99 also supported ending “willful defiance” suspensions that overwhelmingly targeted Black and Latino youth. Most importantly, SEIU Local 99 led in the passage of a series of bond measures to build, repair, and upgrade over 200 campuses, including the first new school in the Eastside in decades and complete overhauls of failing schools like Jordan High.
During the 2010s, Education Workers United organized thousands of early child care providers. At local schools, SEIU 99 fought for summer work hour provisions, and securing benefits for part-time employees, increasing pension funding, and enhancing health benefits for members.
SEIU Local 99 also expanded its work in social justice, helping to elect numerous officials who played pivotal roles in raising the LA, and state minimum wage, and standing up for working families.
The union was a key player in advocating for and achieving significant educational advancements. One of their notable successes was the implementation of A-G college coursework requirements for all students, ensuring a more comprehensive and equitable educational foundation. Additionally, SEIU Local 99 played a pivotal role in launching the largest new school construction project in American history. This ambitious initiative led to the building or remodeling of over 200 schools, significantly enhancing educational infrastructure.
SEIU 99 also successfully campaigned for the elimination of ‘willful defiance’ suspensions, a disciplinary practice that disproportionately affected Latino and Black students, thereby addressing a critical issue of racial prejudice in school discipline.
As SEIU 99 ramped up its fight to end the school-to-prison pipeline, its efforts contributed to a transformative shift in juvenile courts, moving from imposing harsh prison sentences on youth to focusing on education and rehabilitation. SEIU 99 was instrumental in leading the movement to end the transfer of inmates from LA County jails to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) custody.
Furthermore, the union supported the resentencing of thousands of individuals who were over-sentenced as a result of the failed war on drugs. These actions represented SEIU 99’s commitment to correcting systemic injustices and promoting fairer, more humane policies in both education and the criminal justice system.
Because Education workers united across the region decades ago, they have been able to steadily increase the number of workers in their union, the pay and benefits in workers contracts, respect on the job, and influence in the educational and larger community of Los Angeles.
This decisive action led to a temporary shutdown, fueled by the union’s unwavering determination to secure improved working conditions and respect for its members. Workers exclaimed, “They called us heroes, and now they offer zeros,” highlighting the stark contrast between the appreciation shown by school district administrators during the COVID-19 shutdown and the subsequent disrespectful and meager raises offered during union contract negotiations.
The successful strike resulted in significant gains for the workers, including back pay bonuses and substantial raises of up to 30%, along with additional work hours and other benefits. These achievements marked a major milestone in the union’s efforts to improve the livelihoods and recognition of education workers at LAUSD.