Community Schools Informational Meeting Thursday, February 27 2020
News
February 24, 2020
Community Schools Informational Meeting This Thursday, February 27

One of the victories of our successful strike was winning investments into 30 schools to become Community Schools – to better serve our students, bring more educator and parent voice in, and provide a positive vision of schooling against privatization.  Each school designated as a Community School receives one-time general funds of $150,000 in Year One and $250,000 in Year Two. The funds allocated for Year One are meant to support planning and preparation for the implementation of the four Community Schools Pillars. All schools designated are required to use part of the funding to select a Community Schools Coordinator for two years. 

Prez Perspective Featured Image_02.20.2020
President's Perspective
February 18, 2020
Win the School Board in 2020 to win bigger in 2022

The atmosphere at the temporary UTLA field office in Van Nuys was electric this past Saturday as more than 75 members prepared for precinct-walking for Scott Schmerelson. Cecilia Cordova Hart, Adriana Garcia, and Christina Medina from Cohasset Elementary huddled together to look at their assigned turf map on their phones. Teams from Blythe Elementary, Winnetka Elementary, Sharp Elementary, Carpenter Elementary, and Beachy Elementary took their sheets of talking points and confidently departed for their assigned turf.

Billionaire Billboard Image
Press Release
February 6, 2020
UTLA relaunches billboard campaign, calls out Trump and fellow billionaire privatizers

Los Angeles— United Teachers Los Angeles has launched a new phase of the “We Are Public Schools” campaign that includes more than 75 billboards across LA. One billboard features Donald Trump and posted the same day he attacked teachers and called public schools “failed government schools” in his State of the Union speech.

UTLA Statement on Fuel Dump by Delta
News
January 16, 2020
UTLA Statement on Fuel Dump by Delta

UTLA is horrified by the dumping of airline fuel on neighborhoods in Southeast and South LA.  These great communities, the residents of which have contributed so much to Los Angeles and surrounding cities, have historically borne the brunt of many environmentally racist policies and practices. We have been working with the district to ensure that additional cleaning, health, and mental health staff are available for these schools on an ongoing basis. 

This is not a moment, this is a movement. 🍎✊💥
News
January 14, 2020
1 Year #StrikeAversary: When We Fight, We Win!

One year ago today, UTLA members stepped onto the picket line and into history, leading the largest educator strike in the US. When we showed up to our schools that first rainy morning, we knew we had put in the organizing work to win — but we did not yet know how successful our strike would be...

UTLA Endorses Bernie Block Image
News
November 14, 2019
UTLA Overwhelmingly Endorses Sen. Bernie Sanders for US President

United Teachers Los Angeles, the second-largest teachers’ local in the country, is proud to endorse Senator Bernie Sanders for US President in the 2020 Primary Election, making UTLA the first teachers’ union in the country to endorse a presidential candidate.

President's Perspective Featured Image 10.19.19
President's Perspective
October 25, 2019
Our strike shifted the narrative: Now, we win more

We keep seeing the positive impacts of our strike. Take a moment and feel pride in your days in the rain on the picket line. Lisa Bennett is a special education teacher, UTLA chapter chair, and an LAUSD Teacher of the Year. She teaches at Van Gogh School, one of those closest to the Saddleridge fire. Lisa and others across the San Fernando Valley were incensed by LAUSD’s flat-footedness in responding to the fire. Schools should have been closed and should have remained closed until they were rigorously cleaned and the air quality improved. LAUSD needs a plan, developed with stakeholders, for fire safety in the future.

LAUSD Saddleridge Fire
Press Release
October 11, 2019
LAUSD must answer for today's lack of leadership

Starting at 5 a.m. this morning, UTLA reached out to district personnel to close all impacted schools in the Valley. Instead of closing campuses immediately, district officials told more than 10,000 educators and tens of thousands more students and parents that schools were open for business and they were expected to navigate toxic fire and smoke conditions.

Saddleridge Fire forces closure of schools across the Valley
News
October 11, 2019
Troubling conditions at fire impacted schools

Parents and teachers will rally outside Van Gogh Elementary on Granada Hills on Tuesday afternoon to protest LAUSD's lack of leadership during the Saddleridge fire. After the district sent a memo claiming that all sites had been deep-cleaned and were safe, Van Gogh staff and students arrived Monday morning to find ash on classroom floors, black particles on desks, and the oppressive smell of smoke in every building.

CTU Officer Solidarity Photo
Press Release
October 1, 2019
UTLA statement of solidarity with Chicago Teachers Union

United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) stands in solidarity with the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and SEIU Local 73 in the wake of their strike authorization votes after months of fruitless contract negotiations with new Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago School Board. Last week 94% of CTU members voted in favor of a strike. Educators could walk off the job and onto the picket lines as soon as October 7.