United Action

United Action Platform

United Action is a coalition of UTLA members, Chapter Chairs, Board of Directors members, Area Chairs and UTLA Officers running a slate of candidates in the next UTLA election.

Since 2005, under United Action leadership, UTLA has been moving towards progressive union and educational transformation. We won a substantial pay raise, maintained health benefits, mobilized 10,000 UTLA members in demonstrations for a fair contract, built UTLA activists, and assisted in the creation of autonomous pilot schools within LAUSD and under the UTLA contract.

Facing an unprecedented payroll crisis, UTLA leaders have begun a series of escalating job actions to push the district into accepting third party intervention and igniting a sense of urgency at Beaudry to solve this problem now. We must build on this crisis and the upcoming contract reopeners to organize and mobilize our membership and build our collective power to campaign for quality public schools and a strong union!

		Fight for Teacher and Community Initiated Reform

Shift decision-making to local schools with increased teacher and community involvement.
Reorient Local Districts to provide support and services to site-initiated reform efforts and make them accountable to teachers, parents, and the community.
Oppose NCLB and other unfunded, punitive mandates and demand flexible implementation of curriculum and respect for teacher judgment and student needs.
Expose the false promises of many independent charter schools and hold all schools to the standards of equity, access, public management and public purpose. Reduce the push for charters by ensuring that all LAUSD schools have decision-making autonomy and personalized settings.
Aggressively provide alternatives to independent charters, like the Belmont Zone of Choice and the Woodland Hills Expanded SBM School initiated under UA leadership, all within the public sphere and under UTLA contract.

		Continue to Organize with Strong Actions

Maintain current health care and retirement benefits and organize for a long-term solution through a single payer plan for all Californians.
Win a cost of living increase in the re-opener and pay raises with the COLA built in to ensure teacher retention and attract qualified and diverse school staff.
Work with state and national affiliates to challenge the national policies that prioritize funding the war in Iraq and tax breaks for the rich over the needs of the nation’s public schools and communities.
Encourage regular chapter organizing workshops at Area meetings
Maintain current health care and retirement benefits and organize for a long-term solution through a single payer plan for all Californians.
Win a cost of living increase in the re-opener and pay raises with the COLA built in to ensure teacher retention and attract qualified and diverse school staff.
Work with state and national affiliates to challenge the national policies that prioritize funding the war in Iraq and tax breaks for the rich over the needs of the nation’s public schools and communities.
Encourage regular chapter organizing workshops at Area meetings

		Focus on Funding for Students and the Classroom

Focus on Funding for Students and the classroom
Reduce the class size and counselor loads! Provide the technology, access to art instruction, foreign language, physical education and other resources need to provide a 21st century education for all students.
Focus on the whole child. Reduce the time and emphasis on high stakes testing, standardized testing, pacing plans and unnecessary paperwork.
Take the politics out of educational decisions. Utilize instructional strategies that work best. Establish and expand dual language programs, promote positive discipline models, and culturally relevant education.
Provide the services necessary to support students whose behavior or academic problem is interfering with their progress.
Ensure that schools are environmentally healthy and safe from violence. Provide access to healthy food, water, and an aesthetically pleasant, low-stress , positive learning environment.

		Organize and Mobilize the Membership

Support the transformation of the areas to be locations for chapter chairs to gain support, to organize alongside their feeder schools around issues of common concern, including issues that directly connect faculties to the interests and concerns of parents and communities. To this end, UTLA staff organizers are needed in each area.
Provide structures within areas and in other UTLA groups to develop the leadership skills and potential of our members and build our capacity as a union.