Above: Alliance educators in bargaining last March

Since winning their union, educators at Alliance charter schools in Los Angeles have faced a years-long battle with Alliance management for a contract. This week, Alliance Educators United at Gertz-Ressler/Richard Merkin 6-12 Complex and Burton Tech High School voted 100% YES to ratify their first contract. 

In 2018, Alliance educators voted to unionize with UTLA in the face of management’s blatant union-busting tactics. Then instead of coming to the bargaining table, Alliance charter management spent millions on a continued union-busting campaign and ignored multiple legal orders from the state Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). 

But Alliance educators never let up. They picketed, leafleted, stormed the Alliance board room, and held a one-day strike, successfully pressuring management to finally come to the table in January 24. Burton Tech High School history teacher Edgar Hermosillo says it’s been a long journey. 

Burton Tech High School history teacher Edgar Hermosillo

“Ever since we started organizing with UTLA more than ten years ago, I don’t think I ever imagined it taking this long to finalize our first contract,” said Hermosillo. “Throughout the fight, our teachers, counselors, and support professionals remained steadfast in this effort.” 

Now, unionized educators at Gertz-Merkin and Burton Tech have finally won a contract that includes job security measures, class size cap enforcement, and limits on evaluations.  

This major win has Gertz-Ressler High School PE teacher Kemberlee Hooper reflecting back on the long fight to get to this historic step. 

“Seeing the solidarity among my coworkers reminds me of why we unionized in the first place — to reclaim our school and to ensure that students receive what they deserve,” says Hooper. “This is what justice feels like.” 

“The fight continues, and the union is what gives us strength,” says Hermosillo. 

Alliance members outside the Alliance Board meeting in June 2024