On September 12, union educators at Alliance College-Ready Public Schools received yet another victory in their fight for their union to be recognized and to end union-busting activity by the charter’s board.

Five years ago, educators at five Alliance charter schools in Los Angeles voted to unionize with UTLA. Since then, Alliance Charters has spent millions on union-busting efforts and ignored multiple legal orders from the state Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) to come to the bargaining table.

Most recently, the Court of Appeals upheld the previous legal orders from the Public Employment Relations Board recognizing Alliance Educators United and ordering Alliance CRPS to bargain. 

“The educators of Alliance Educators United have the support of more than 37,000 district and charter educators across this city, who stand with them as fellow members of UTLA, to collectively advocate for improvements to schools across Los Angeles. It’s finally time for Alliance to do the right thing: Respect your educators who democratically chose to organize their union and bargain with them,” said Cecily Myart-Cruz, President of United Teachers Los Angeles.

“Alliance has a golden opportunity to step up and invest in kids and the community, rather than continuing to fight their own teachers. The California labor board and the courts have spoken—now is the time to take the high road and work with teachers and staff on real solutions for students. Let’s get this done,” said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers.

Alliance Charters has pursued a strategy of legal delay, wasting millions to prevent the execution of repeated legal orders to bargain. Despite a PERB order to cease and desist all anti-union activity, Alliance charters appealed the decision. Their second appeal has once again been denied by the Court of Appeals. Alliance Charters is now appealing this decision to the California Supreme Court.

“We know your tactic is to delay and deny our union. These are the same tactics that major corporations such as Amazon, Starbucks, and major Hollywood studios like Lionsgate, which Joe Drake works for, continue to implement against working-class people,” said Enrique Vasquez, educator and Alliance Educators United Member, at this week’s Alliance board meeting. “It is unacceptable and anti-democratic. We deserve better. Our students and the communities we serve deserve better.”