UTLA members showed up strong on November 6 for our largest regional rallies yet in five locations around LA, joined by parents, students, food service workers, custodians, TAs, principals, school site construction workers, and other education employees. It was a vibrant display of unity behind winning concrete improvements for educators, students, and school staff. Turnout at these rallies was even larger than the regional rallies ahead of the 2023 solidarity strike, underscoring that every fight makes us stronger.

Just before the rallies, the district caved on their proposal to pass any increased healthcare costs onto employees. All eight employee unions are still fighting in healthcare bargaining for a three-year agreement instead of two and pushing back on a high-deductible option — but this is a major win.

Now we build on our momentum to force LAUSD to move in contract bargaining.

What’s clear is that the district had the money all along to maintain our healthcare, and they have the money for our contract demands too.

“The district has been telling parents like me that they are broke, that there is no budget, but we know they have $5 billion in reserves,” said Parent and Reclaim Our Schools LA member Aida Maravilla speaking to the crowd at LAUSD Local District Northwest. “That is taxpayer money, and we are here to demand in one voice that it should be spent on the needs of our students, and it must be done now.” 

It’s been nearly two months since the UTLA member bargaining team rejected the district’s 2% + 2% salary proposal and the district still has not responded. They have brought nothing of substance to reduce class sizes; hire more PSAs, PSWs, and school psychologists; improve working conditions; and other key demands.

Check out photos from all the regional rallies