SEIU Local 99 members are among the lowest paid employees in LAUSD and have been working under a contract that expired in 2020. They have been at the table with the district for nearly a year fighting for demands to drastically improve the working and economic conditions of LAUSD education workers, many who are also LAUSD parents. In December they declared an impasse with the district. In February, SEIU 99 members voted 96% yes to authorize a strike. 

SEIU is planning a Three-Day Unfair Practice Charge (UPC) strike sometime in the next few weeks but has not yet announced a date.

Carvalho and the district have shown SEIU 99 members nothing but disrespect. SEIU Local 99 has filed dozens of unfair practice charges with the state Public Employment Relations Board for the district’s harassment, retaliation, and threats against workers for participating in union activities, including last month’s strike vote.

On March 7, SEIU 99 issued a 10-day notice to terminate their contract, sending the message loud and clear to Carvalho that they are preparing to strike. 

On March 8, the UTLA Board of Directors voted to do the same thing.

Terminating our contract is a signal to Carvalho and the district — who have been dragging their feet for TEN MONTHS — that we are taking a step closer to being ready to strike if they do not meet our contract demands. We took this step in 2019 as part of escalation toward our strike.

This action also secures our right to strike in solidarity with our SEIU 99 colleagues. SEIU 99 winning a strong contract is a win for our schools and helps us at the bargaining table.  

Our contract expired July 1, 2022 but, the terms and conditions have remained in effect and will continue to remain in effect after our contract is terminated. Only two things change once the contract is terminated:

  1. UTLA members and UTLA as an organization will NOT be restricted by Article VI prohibiting strikes or other work stoppages.
  2. LAUSD can but will not be obligated to appear at an arbitration hearing on UTLA grievances that arise after the contract terminates until a new contract is signed. In the unlikely event that a grievance arises after contract termination and goes to arbitration before a new contract is signed, we will demand in contract negotiations that the matter is scheduled for arbitration under the new contract.

Read the updated FAQ for more information.