March 17, 2026 • 9 mins
Paul Corvino sits down with Charmell Lee and Max Arias to talk about SEIU 99.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, this is Paul Korvino, division president of iHeartMedia here
in sunny Los Angeles, California, with a special episode of
Meet the Issues Today. I'm joined by Charmel Lee and
Max Arius, and they're of the SEIU Local ninety nine
union and they're representing the Education Workers United Efforts.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Welcome guys, Thank you for having us here.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
So tell me what exactly are you advocating for. We
are just let me share briefly who we are so
I see you.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
Local ninety nine represents fifty thousand education workers here in
southern California, but here we're talking specifically about LAUSD Los
Angeles Unified School District. There, we represent thirty thousand workers
and they are the classified employees. That means, for those
of you that may not be familiar, everybody that's not
a teacher or an administrator, everybody that drives buses, feeds students,
(00:52):
supports teachers.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
In the classes. Teachers are a separate union.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Yeah, they're in a separate union as well, exactly, and
we are the conditions right nisions at the schools and
the conditions of our members is the reason we are
having a fight, basically with the district right now. That's
been ongoing, and it is because we have been bargaining
with the district for over two years and they still
are not listening to the demands that we have, and
(01:18):
their demands really have to do with lack of staffing
to keep the schools clean, so the schools are not
as clean.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
As they should be.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
The lack of hours to support students, specifically for those
that do classroom support, that support students in the playground,
et cetera. They are working part time hours, yet they
are basically not getting paid. They're working more than what
they are getting paid, right so we're demanding that they
get the hours that they need and that the students need,
(01:48):
as well as put an end to the outsourcing. The
really it's not just outsourcing, it is the obscene outsourcing.
And I'll share with you later on what the figures
are for private entities. That's a acting adversity the students,
the schools, and the workers and then the workers doing
the work, you know, are living on an average of
thirty five thousand dollars a year, which means that ninety
(02:10):
nine percent of our members cannot afford a one bedroom
apartment in Los Angeles. So we're making demands to change
all that so that we can have clean, safe, supportive
schools for all students, regardless of where they live.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
And so tell me you've got a big event coming
up on March eighteenth.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
What is that about?
Speaker 4 (02:27):
March eighteenth. We're having a rally. It's a big rally,
massive rally Grant Park, four pm. I urge everybody to
join us. And it is because it's the culmination of
what we've been negotiating for two years. As I share
with you, the teachers have also been negotiating with the
district and as well as the principles of the school
district who are organized under aala Allah and the teachers
(02:49):
under Utla, and we are all joinly having a rally.
The teachers and us have already taken a strike vote.
Our members already voted ninety seven percent to go to
strike if needed to protest the harassment and unlack.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
They already voted on the strike.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
Yeah, we voted on the strike already and strike to
protest the harassment that they're received for during demand better. Basically,
the demands that are harassment are the receiving well, there
many types of harassment, so for these two years. One,
We've been trying to bark on for two years and
we've been ignored at the table. So the district that's
not really put forth any meaningful proposals. That's one, and
(03:25):
that's delayed getting a contract.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Two.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
In many instances, the district is cutting people's hours because
they have been protesting or they have been, you know,
demanding these increases, have been participating in these campaigns, in
the rallies, in the pickets, they have been They discipline
our members for doing that, and it's our members protected
right to do so. Recently, they threatened us with layoffs
(03:50):
when they are unnecessary, even though we're in the middle
of negotiating over the matters that have to do with layoffs, staffing,
et cetera. And it is clear that its retaliation for
the So it's been two years of that and we've
had to file over twenty charges at the you know
the part, how can.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
People during this rally on March eighteen, Well.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Just come on down at Grant Park at three pm
and we'll we'll have the rally there. There's going to
be music, there's a cultural but we're also going to
be you know, just stating what the demands are and
potentially announcing a date in which we all walk out
if our demands are not.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Matt, is there a website they can go to.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
They can go to SEIU ninety nine dot org to
sign up if they would like to come out or
just show up come to Grand shuml.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
I hear that you have an amazing story. Can can
you tell us a little bit about that?
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yes, while working as in l a USD, I was
on skid row with my children struggling. It came one
summer that wasn't able to get summer school or unemployment,
so it landed us on skid row. We lost our place.
(05:04):
That was a really difficult and tough time for myself
and my kids. When school resumed in August, I showed
up with the smile every day and a great attitude
because my students deserve someone that is there, present, there
to support them as well.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
So just yeah, touching story.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
We'll glad that you're back on your feet for you
and your and your family.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yes, thank you.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
If I me, I just want to add like that
right now, three thousands, ten percent of our members right now,
I've told us that they suffer from housing and security
we're working for the district. Charmel's an example of that.
At the same time, the district sitting of five billion
dollars in reserves.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Five billion dollars, yes, in.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Reserves, and the Governor of California just just announce that
there's going to be not only are we maintaining the
fund and there are no custo education, there's going to
be a cola that's going to be increased. So the
district can definitely afford to do what's right for workers.
Thirty five thousand dollars on the average a year is
not acceptable, and so we need to do better.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
This is the second is what is the number that
you need?
Speaker 4 (06:16):
Well, the number that we need is to well. The
number we need our members need is to make over
one hundred thousand, really, because that's how you need to
live in LA. But that's not what we're demanding. We're
demanding the hours of work. And I don't want to
prescribe here a percentage, but we need to do better.
Fifty seven thousand dollars a year is the the line
property line.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
For an individual.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
We need to get there or more at the very least,
and that is our fight right now and it's not
just about money. It's really about maintaining the school's clean.
As I shared, it also has to do with staffing,
it has to do with more hours, and all of
that is to really support the students.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
And I would also like to say that I am
not the only one that has been affected by lausds
not paying fair wages. There are members that dumpster dive
during the summer to feed their families and take care
of themselves. It's either pay rent or be homeless, so
(07:13):
they say, hey, I'll pay my rent and I'll just
dumpster dive to feed my family and get whatever we
need from there. We also have members that live in
a one bedroom apartment with ten other people that are
not their relatives. That's not fair to them, their children,
that's not fair at all. And then they say, oh,
we have five billion in reserves, Well, what about the
(07:34):
people that are working hard every day. We deserve that,
we deserve to be taken care of. My children did
not deserve to be in a shelter when they are
students of LAUSD. LAUSD claims to care for their students.
Which students do you care for? Is it just the
students whose parents don't work for LA Unified. Which students
(07:58):
is it that they care for? Because it wasn't my student,
it's not the other people's student that is that are
students at LA Unifi. I would just like to know.
Can they answer that? Make that make sense?
Speaker 1 (08:11):
So if you're listening and you want to show up
and show your support for the Education Workers United, there
is a rally on March eighteenth with Grant Park and
Los Angeles on March eighteenth.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Yes, at four o'clock, please show up, show out support us.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Thank you Chamel and thank you Max. Again, this is
Paul Corvino, Division president of iHeartMedia with an episode of
Meet the Issues, which is a new segment for us.
Thank you both for coming on representing the SEIU Local
ninety nine and the Education Workers United. Again one more
time for that website if people want more information on
(08:50):
the issue.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
If you would like more information, come to SCIU ninety
nine dot org and show up at Grand Park.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Thank you so much guys for coming on and enjoyed
having you.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Thank you
Hey, this is Paul Korvino, division president of iHeartMedia here
in sunny Los Angeles, California, with a special episode of
Meet the Issues Today. I'm joined by Charmel Lee and
Max Arius, and they're of the SEIU Local ninety nine
union and they're representing the Education Workers United Efforts.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Welcome guys, Thank you for having us here.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
So tell me what exactly are you advocating for. We
are just let me share briefly who we are so
I see you.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
Local ninety nine represents fifty thousand education workers here in
southern California, but here we're talking specifically about LAUSD Los
Angeles Unified School District. There, we represent thirty thousand workers
and they are the classified employees. That means, for those
of you that may not be familiar, everybody that's not
a teacher or an administrator, everybody that drives buses, feeds students,
(00:52):
supports teachers.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
In the classes. Teachers are a separate union.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Yeah, they're in a separate union as well, exactly, and
we are the conditions right nisions at the schools and
the conditions of our members is the reason we are
having a fight, basically with the district right now. That's
been ongoing, and it is because we have been bargaining
with the district for over two years and they still
are not listening to the demands that we have, and
(01:18):
their demands really have to do with lack of staffing
to keep the schools clean, so the schools are not
as clean.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
As they should be.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
The lack of hours to support students, specifically for those
that do classroom support, that support students in the playground,
et cetera. They are working part time hours, yet they
are basically not getting paid. They're working more than what
they are getting paid, right so we're demanding that they
get the hours that they need and that the students need,
(01:48):
as well as put an end to the outsourcing. The
really it's not just outsourcing, it is the obscene outsourcing.
And I'll share with you later on what the figures
are for private entities. That's a acting adversity the students,
the schools, and the workers and then the workers doing
the work, you know, are living on an average of
thirty five thousand dollars a year, which means that ninety
(02:10):
nine percent of our members cannot afford a one bedroom
apartment in Los Angeles. So we're making demands to change
all that so that we can have clean, safe, supportive
schools for all students, regardless of where they live.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
And so tell me you've got a big event coming
up on March eighteenth.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
What is that about?
Speaker 4 (02:27):
March eighteenth. We're having a rally. It's a big rally,
massive rally Grant Park, four pm. I urge everybody to
join us. And it is because it's the culmination of
what we've been negotiating for two years. As I share
with you, the teachers have also been negotiating with the
district and as well as the principles of the school
district who are organized under aala Allah and the teachers
(02:49):
under Utla, and we are all joinly having a rally.
The teachers and us have already taken a strike vote.
Our members already voted ninety seven percent to go to
strike if needed to protest the harassment and unlack.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
They already voted on the strike.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
Yeah, we voted on the strike already and strike to
protest the harassment that they're received for during demand better. Basically,
the demands that are harassment are the receiving well, there
many types of harassment, so for these two years. One,
We've been trying to bark on for two years and
we've been ignored at the table. So the district that's
not really put forth any meaningful proposals. That's one, and
(03:25):
that's delayed getting a contract.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Two.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
In many instances, the district is cutting people's hours because
they have been protesting or they have been, you know,
demanding these increases, have been participating in these campaigns, in
the rallies, in the pickets, they have been They discipline
our members for doing that, and it's our members protected
right to do so. Recently, they threatened us with layoffs
(03:50):
when they are unnecessary, even though we're in the middle
of negotiating over the matters that have to do with layoffs, staffing,
et cetera. And it is clear that its retaliation for
the So it's been two years of that and we've
had to file over twenty charges at the you know
the part, how can.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
People during this rally on March eighteen, Well.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Just come on down at Grant Park at three pm
and we'll we'll have the rally there. There's going to
be music, there's a cultural but we're also going to
be you know, just stating what the demands are and
potentially announcing a date in which we all walk out
if our demands are not.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Matt, is there a website they can go to.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
They can go to SEIU ninety nine dot org to
sign up if they would like to come out or
just show up come to Grand shuml.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
I hear that you have an amazing story. Can can
you tell us a little bit about that?
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yes, while working as in l a USD, I was
on skid row with my children struggling. It came one
summer that wasn't able to get summer school or unemployment,
so it landed us on skid row. We lost our place.
(05:04):
That was a really difficult and tough time for myself
and my kids. When school resumed in August, I showed
up with the smile every day and a great attitude
because my students deserve someone that is there, present, there
to support them as well.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
So just yeah, touching story.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
We'll glad that you're back on your feet for you
and your and your family.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yes, thank you.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
If I me, I just want to add like that
right now, three thousands, ten percent of our members right now,
I've told us that they suffer from housing and security
we're working for the district. Charmel's an example of that.
At the same time, the district sitting of five billion
dollars in reserves.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Five billion dollars, yes, in.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Reserves, and the Governor of California just just announce that
there's going to be not only are we maintaining the
fund and there are no custo education, there's going to
be a cola that's going to be increased. So the
district can definitely afford to do what's right for workers.
Thirty five thousand dollars on the average a year is
not acceptable, and so we need to do better.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
This is the second is what is the number that
you need?
Speaker 4 (06:16):
Well, the number that we need is to well. The
number we need our members need is to make over
one hundred thousand, really, because that's how you need to
live in LA. But that's not what we're demanding. We're
demanding the hours of work. And I don't want to
prescribe here a percentage, but we need to do better.
Fifty seven thousand dollars a year is the the line
property line.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
For an individual.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
We need to get there or more at the very least,
and that is our fight right now and it's not
just about money. It's really about maintaining the school's clean.
As I shared, it also has to do with staffing,
it has to do with more hours, and all of
that is to really support the students.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
And I would also like to say that I am
not the only one that has been affected by lausds
not paying fair wages. There are members that dumpster dive
during the summer to feed their families and take care
of themselves. It's either pay rent or be homeless, so
(07:13):
they say, hey, I'll pay my rent and I'll just
dumpster dive to feed my family and get whatever we
need from there. We also have members that live in
a one bedroom apartment with ten other people that are
not their relatives. That's not fair to them, their children,
that's not fair at all. And then they say, oh,
we have five billion in reserves, Well, what about the
(07:34):
people that are working hard every day. We deserve that,
we deserve to be taken care of. My children did
not deserve to be in a shelter when they are
students of LAUSD. LAUSD claims to care for their students.
Which students do you care for? Is it just the
students whose parents don't work for LA Unified. Which students
(07:58):
is it that they care for? Because it wasn't my student,
it's not the other people's student that is that are
students at LA Unifi. I would just like to know.
Can they answer that? Make that make sense?
Speaker 1 (08:11):
So if you're listening and you want to show up
and show your support for the Education Workers United, there
is a rally on March eighteenth with Grant Park and
Los Angeles on March eighteenth.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Yes, at four o'clock, please show up, show out support us.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Thank you Chamel and thank you Max. Again, this is
Paul Corvino, Division president of iHeartMedia with an episode of
Meet the Issues, which is a new segment for us.
Thank you both for coming on representing the SEIU Local
ninety nine and the Education Workers United. Again one more
time for that website if people want more information on
(08:50):
the issue.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
If you would like more information, come to SCIU ninety
nine dot org and show up at Grand Park.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Thank you so much guys for coming on and enjoyed
having you.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Thank you
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