LAUSD School Workers Rally to Urge Legislators to Fix This Mess!

As LAUSD Board decides on budget cuts, Cafeteria Workers, Custodians, Bus Drivers will rally to save critical student services

LOS ANGELES, March 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by SEIU Local 99:

What:  On the day the Los Angeles Unified School District Board votes on a budget that includes significant cuts to student programs and services for the 2012-13 school year, Custodians, Cafeteria Workers, Bus Drivers, Early Education Teacher Assistants, and other school workers will rally to demand that Sacramento legislators "fix this mess" and support a budget that doesn't force local schools to make further drastic cuts to student programs and services.  

When:
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
11:00 a.m. - Noon — "Fix this mess!" Rally & March

Where:
Near LAUSD Headquarters (333 S. Beaudry Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90017)
Rally will be held on Miramar St. between Beaudry Ave. and Boynton St.

Why:  The 2012-13 state budget proposal presented by Governor Jerry Brown calls for big cuts to education, including home-to-school transportation and the dismantling of funding for other core student services. In response to the Governor's proposal, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is considering significant cuts to student services including early education centers, cafeteria services, maintenance, transportation, and after-school programs if additional revenue is not approved by voters. The District estimates it will need to lay off 8,000 – 10,000 classified employees who provide these services. At their March 13 meeting, the LAUSD School Board will take the first step toward adopting this crisis budget by voting on program and staffing cuts.

Visuals: More than 100 school workers, parents and community members rallying with signs. Chanting, drumming. Marching to LAUSD Headquarters.

SEIU Local 99 is a union of  more than 40,00 education workers in K-12 schools, early education and child care, and community colleges throughout Southern California, including nearly 30,000 teacher aides, custodians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers and others providing essential student services at LAUSD. Nearly 50% of SEIU Local 99 members are also parents or guardians of school-aged children.

SOURCE SEIU Local 99