The Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA-LA) is ready to march the picket lines in solidarity with Service Employees International Union Local 99 (SEIU 99) and United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) as they go ON STRIKE from March 21st through 23rd! We need you with us! Come to Bellingham Elementary School (6728 Bellingham Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91606 on March 22 between 6:30 am and 11:00 am. Donate to Tacos 4 Trabajadores to help us fund food for the picket line!

SEIU 99 represents 50,000 workers selling their labor at schools, colleges, and child care centers as teachers’ assistants, playground workers, special education assistants, bus drivers, gardeners, custodians, cafeteria workers, maintenance workers, administrators and early care and education workers. Despite the Los Angeles Unified School District having a budget of nearly $13.5 billion – the largest school budget in the nation – essential school workers struggle to support their own families on low-wage, part-time jobs. The average annual income of non-teacher school employees is $25,000, which is far below the California Poverty Measure line of $36,900/year for a family of four. That’s why they’re going on strike to demand fair pay for fair work! They’ll be joined on the picket line by UTLA, the labor union for more than 35,000 public school educators in Los Angeles. Negotiating a contract of their own, they’re going forces to to fight for the needs of our classrooms and communities. They’re demanding fair pay raises to attract and retain educators, smaller class sizes, mental health support for students, equitable access to technology, safe school climates, and so much more.