Julia Brownley Works for Working Families
As President of School Board, Julia Brownley was an active supporter of the groundbreaking Living Wage Campaign for hotel workers in Santa Monica initiated by HERE Local 11. She participated in press events with Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg and joined with other leaders of Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights (SMRR) to implement the campaigns to support the living wage objective.
Julia was on the picket line and marched with hotel workers to support union organizing drives for the DoubleTree Hotel in Santa Monica for which the school district holds the land lease. Julia brought to the board a policy of labor peace to amend the school district's land lease for the DoubleTree Hotel if the owner wants to amend or extend the long-term lease.
Julia walked the picket line with UFCW workers at local stores during the lockout over health care benefits. She partnered with Senator Sheila Kuehl to send professionally designed email "fliers" OPPOSING Propositions 73,74,75,76,77, & 78 on the Nov 8 ballot twice to 15,000 Democratic voters in the 41st AD.
Julia has never been afraid to ask the voters to increase taxes for schools when it was necessary. She led campaigns that passed two parcel taxes in Santa Monica & Malibu adding $10 million dollars to the schooldistrict's general fund, which is 10% of the district's operating budget.
Julia worked with the Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS), a Santa Monica-based education advocacy group, to plan and execute "Caravan for Kids" last April, a statewide mobilization of PTA parents and kids around the state into press conferences in a dozen communities on one day all over California and a 5000-person rally on the Capitol steps the next day, all to protest Arnold's broken promises to our schools and our kids.
Julia has Supported Important Labor Objectives as a School Board leader
- SMMUSD compensates the annual salary of their SEIU steward and their local CTA President as full-time positions to be full-time partners with management.
- SMMUSD has a no-contracting-out clause in its labor agreements.
- SMMUSD classified staff are the best paid in the LA region with a complete benefit package that includes dental and vision care.
- SMMUSD teachers are the second highest paid teaching staff in the LA Region, competing effectively with Beverly Hills for the best teachers.
- SMMUSD has a salary incentive package for professional development for all of their employees. Any teacher who completes National Board certification receives an additional stipend of $10,000 per year for 10 years. Any classified staff who takes a required number of classes to improve their knowledge and skill base will receive an additional 1% increase on their salary schedule.
- SMMUSD has a catastrophic leave package for classified staff. If other members want to donate their "banked time" to any employee who needs extended time, they are able to do so.
- SMMUSD has maintained its own school bus fleet, and its own mechanics and bus drivers, while many other school districts have contracted out for these services.