ILWU members help LA Teachers win strike to improve public schools

Los Angeles teachers won a carefully-organized six-day strike in January that will deliver smaller class sizes, more nurses and counselors, and greater accountability of private charter schools in the nation’s second largest school system.

Early challenges

Organizing for the successful strike began long before April of 2017, when bargaining officially started. The process was extra difficult because a majority of school board members had won their seats with backing from private charter school advocates who are funded by wealthy, anti-union business interests. These Board members then hired a Superintendent to negotiate with the union who had no educational experience or training – and strongly favored private charter schools.

Contract goals help the public

The union was open from the beginning about their bargaining goals because four out of their five goals were designed to improve the quality of education for students by reducing class sizes, increasing the number of nurses and counselors, adding funds for classroom supplies, placing a cap on the number of private charter schools and holding existing charter schools more accountable. The only pocketbook issue for teachers was their effort to secure a 6.5% raise.

Saving public education

The struggle by 55,000 teachers, nurses and counselors who care for 550,000 students in Los Angeles was initially discussed within the union ranks as a battle to protect public education. Union members then worked hard to spread the word about how smaller class sizes and more school nurses and counselors would benefit students. This slow, patient outreach work to talk with parents paid-off when families backed the striking teachers – because they realized that a win for the union was a win for students.

History lessons

Many of us today take public education for granted, but it only happened a century ago after decades of struggle – much of it led by the labor movement that battled to move children out of factories and off the streets into classrooms. The belief then – and now – is that quality public education helps give every American a better opportunity to succeed in life.

Protecting public schools

Several months ago, the ILWU’s Southern California District Council (SCDC) learned that another private charter school was planning to open in Wilmington. Like all private charters, they would be funded with dollars diverted from public schools. SCDC leaders immediately contacted their union brothers and sisters at the teacher’s union, the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA). The SCDC then participated in public meetings that were organized to educate and inform parents about the latest threat to public education. The Dispatcher featured a report about this meeting at the Harry Bridges Span School that included union members, parents and students. The problem with charter schools draining public resources and failing to be accountable was addressed – along with the need to support teachers in their contract negotiations.

Second meeting builds support

A few weeks later the SCDC sponsored a town hall meeting at the ILWU Memorial Association building in Wilmington, with a panel that provided an update about the teacher’s contract negotiations and efforts to cap the number of charter schools in Los Angeles. Once again, an appeal was made to build community support for the teachers’ contract bargaining.

Unions “adopt-a-school”

Once teachers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, the SCDC began mobilizing ILWU locals in the Harbor Area and reaching out to other nearby unions. The goal was to have union members join the “adopt-a-school” program by helping at their local school during a strike. In practice, this meant picketing with teachers and ensuring that an ILWU members or other union volunteer was always on the picket line so the teachers would know that “we have your back.” It also meant bringing them food when they were marching on the picket lines. ILWU members worked with teacher union Chapter Chairs and Picket Captains to make sure picket line were staffed, fed and emotionally supported.

In total, the SCDC effort resulted in 63 schools being “adopted” in the cities of Carson, Gardena, Harbor City, Lomita, San Pedro and Wilmington. Hundreds of ILWU members participated, as did officers from Locals 13, 20, 63, 65, 68, 94, Auxiliary, Pensioners, and the SCDC – along with officials from the Marine Firemen and Steelworkers Union. The SCDC also provided signs declaring that “The ILWU supports teachers,” which were produced with donations from Locals 13 and 63.

Teachers and ILWU members stood together on those picket lines during heavy rains that fell during much of the strike. Members dug into their own pockets to donate food, ponchos and other items to help the striking teachers.

After six days of striking, the United Teachers Union reached a tentative agreement with School District Officials and quickly ratified the new contract on Tuesday, January 22, by an overwhelming margin.

Solidarity works

The was the first teachers strike in 30 years, so most participants had no experience on a picket line, and weren’t sure how to organize community support. Because the SCDC has done this many times in past, they reached out to involve other unions in the Harbor Coalition and partnered with community groups such as LAANE, which provided staffer Albert Ramirez to work with SCDC in the Harbor Area. Other groups included Reclaim Our Schools, A Needy Wilmington and South Bay Community Coalition/Thrive LA. These groups have partnered with SCDC in the past and joined this effort.

Many UTLA members expressed their gratitude to the ILWU by posting their feelings of solidarity on social media. UTLA member Michael Gearin, who teaches at the Harry Bridges Span School, said, “Thank you SO, SO much for everything you did during the strike. The ILWU kept us afloat.” He went on to say, “We were honestly just hitting our stride. I realized that the strike is only partly about the contract. I learned how valuable an opportunity it was to do community organizing and coalition building with other unions.”

Lisette Rodriguez, a California Faculty Association member at Cal State Dominquez Hills said, “You all have done an amazing job of supporting our teachers and families! Thank you for inviting me to adopt a school, I had a great experience and I’ve made friendships that will continue to grow.”

When Monica Rodriguez heard a tentative agreement had been reached, she wrote, “Thank the Lord, educators, counselors, nurses, students, parents, ILWU members and our community who stood together and supported each other. I am beyond blessed and thankful as a parent of two LAUSD students, a wife of an ILWU Local 13 member and a community volunteer.”

As an ILWU member and President of the SCDC, I want to thank all our officers, members, and community groups who stepped up to support our teachers and students. In addition, I want to thank Shannon Ross, wife of ILWU Local 94 member, Marcel Ross. She coordinated the collection and distribution of food to help the 80% of students in LA schools who are low-income and depend on food provided at schools. Thanks to Shannon and other volunteers, many of these children in the Harbor Are were fed during the strike.

It wasn’t hard for us to support this teacher’s strike and struggle. This is what we do – we help other unions and union members. Second, this is not the first time and it won’t be the last time that we come together to support our working families in our community. And finally, defending our public schools is one of the most sacred and important things we can do as union members and citizens. Thank you everyone for all that you did to help.

AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL.

Cathy Familathe
SCDC President
ILWU Local 63