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Win Our Future: We Can't Wait

What is the Win Our Future: We Can't Wait Campaign?

 

The Win Our Future Campaign is the United Teachers Los Angeles’ (UTLA) contract campaign to fight for the schools our students deserve. Built from conversations with over 665 school sites, parent surveys, and community forums, our platform reflects what educators, families, and community members say is most urgent: safe, fully staffed schools, meaningful learning opportunities, and support for every student.

Our campaign builds on the momentum of past victories from our 2019 Strike and 2023 Solidarity Strike. But we will not stop until every school is a place where all students can thrive.

UTLA is united with 11 of the largest educator unions in the state of California to coordinate our demands and actions through the California Alliance for Community Schools. The WE CAN’T WAIT campaign demands for:

  1. Fully Staffed Schools
  2. Closing the Educator Wage Gap
  3. Stability for Our Students and Communities (consistent with the demands identified by UTLA members and reflected in our platform.)

 

Our Core Demands

The Win Our Future campaign is about more than just a contract. It's a fight for the future of public education and for a city that values students, families, and the people who care for them. Here are some of the demands we’re fighting for:
  • More mental health services and social-emotional support for students
  • Restorative justice programs and staff who support young people – not criminalize them
  • Stronger support and services for immigrant and newcomer families, regardless of documentation status
  • Affordable housing on unused LAUSD land for students and families facing housing insecurity
  • Protections for LGBTQIA+ students, educators, and staff
  • Clean drinking water and the removal of all lead pipes
  • Functional A/C, heating, and ventilation in every classroom
  • Green spaces, shade, and playgrounds on every school campus
  • Solar energy, electric buses, and EV charging stations
  • Climate-resilient infrastructure and disaster preparedness programs
  • Access to the arts, including dance, music, theater, media arts, and visual arts
  • Expanded college and career pathways, including Career Technical Education (CTE)
  • Cost-free Early Education programs for all families
  • Inclusion-focused Special Education and smaller caseloads for support staff
  • Support for English language learners at every grade level
  • Increased Ethnic Studies offerings and support for the Black Student Achievement Plan
  • Competitive pay and salary scale fixes to retain educators
  • Employer-paid family healthcare and secure retiree benefits
  • Parental leave, paid time off, and mental wellness support
  • Support for new educators, especially BIPOC, multilingual, and immigrant teachers
  • Protected prep time and professional autonomy
  • No layoffs or program cuts that hurt students
  • Protection against displacement and disruption of services
  • Full staffing of libraries, campus aides, custodians, and paraprofessionals
  • Ban on subcontracting and replacement of staff with AI or other tech
  • Greater transparency and community voice in decision-making
  • Real accountability for charter school co-locations
  • Public support for long-term state funding solutions

Endorsements

Campaign

Win Our Future

Win Our Future: We Can't Wait

We work in the richest school district in the richest state in the nation. The district has stacked up $6.4 billion in reserves yet continues to keep educators underpaid and our schools understaffed and under-resourced. Our students are struggling in and outside of school. Enrollment is declining as families are falling behind on rent and forced to leave L.A.

This fall, UTLA members participated in over 665 chapter meetings while Reclaim Our Schools LA surveyed parents and community organizations to identify the urgent issuesthat would shape the UTLA demands in upcoming contract negotiations. With feedback from chapter leaders, the 140-member UTLA Bargaining Team developed a unified platform of demands from that input.

The Win Our Future platform builds on our historic wins from our 2019 Strike and 2023 Solidarity Strike. It is a statement of what UTLA members are committed to fight for, collectively, for the future of our public schools and communities.

This round, we have the opportunity to bring member power and momentum to the state level. Uniting with ten other major educator unions across California in the statewide We Can’t Wait campaign, we can build the power to maximize pressure and win big for our schools.

The platform has been endorsed by the UTLA Bargaining Team, the Board of Directors and Chapter Chairs across all 8 UTLA Areas. In November 21, the Win Our Future Platform received a 97% YES vote and the We Can’t Wait Campaign a 92% YES vote sending a clear message to the district that we are united and prepared to stand up for the schools our students deserve.

Platform Summary

Increased salaries to recruit and retain educators; compensation for, and limits on, additional work; better access to PTO, Parental Leave, and mental wellness supports; equity across positions; protection of educator rights; prep time; support for new educators with additional investment in BIPOC, multilingual, and immigrant educators; and more.

Limits on district-mandated testing; increased investment in Community Schools; protection and expansion of BSAP and Ethnic Studies; more support for students’ mental health; more support for immigrant students, newcomers, English language learners, LGBTQIA+ students and staff, students and families facing homelessness, vulnerable students, and for parents; campus safety through support not criminalization; home internet access and updated technology; free Early Education for all; support for college and career preparation; and more.

Class size, caseload, and staffing ratio reduction and increased accountability for LAUSD for violations; increased support for Special Education; fully staffed schools, including aides, custodians, and more.

Protections against displacement and program cuts; increased LSLC purview; increased school-site funding for supplies, programs, and positions; interview panels for administrators; bans on subcontracting and replacement by AI; increased charter school accountability and limits on co- location; and more.

Clean, safe drinking water; facilities upgrades including HVAC; green spaces, shade, and playgrounds on every school campus; programs and policies for environmental justice, climate resilience, and disaster preparedness; and more.

UTLA is united with ten of the largest educator unions in the state of California to coordinate our demands and actions through the California Alliance for Community Schools. The We Can’t Wait campaign demands are consistent with the demands identified by UTLA members and are reflected in the UTLA Win Our Future platform:

  1. Fully Staffed Schools
  2. Closing the Educator Wage Gap
  3. Stability for Our Students and Communities

More about the Platform

Full Platform
PDF
11.15.2024
Platform Summary Flyer
PDF
11.15.2024

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Junta Escolar de Los Angeles, Distrito 3

Como profesor bilingüe de español, consejero, director y miembro de la junta escolar, Scott Schmerelson trabajó para:

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Schmerelson se asegurará de que los estudiantes se sientan seguros y puedan alcanzar su máximo potencial. El ha promovido esfuerzos contra el acoso escolar y los pasajes seguros para los niños que viajan hacia y desde la escuela. Bajo su liderazgo ha obligado al distrito escolar a instalar sistemas de seguridad y entrada segura y poner en marcha nuevas medidas contra las armas.

En el Valle, Schmerelson ha repartido millones de fondos para la modernización de las escuelas. El creé que cada escuela debe tener tecnología y planes de estudios actualizados para garantizar que cada estudiante esté preparado para la universidad o las carreras del mañana.

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Karla Griego es una líder con experiencia en nuestras escuelas y comunidades. Karla es maestra de educación especial, madre de un estudiante del LAUSD y líder en el sindicato de maestros. Ha luchado por nuestros estudiantes más vulnerables durante más de 20 años.

En la Junta Escolar de Los Ángeles, Karla trabajará para:

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