Last month, SEIU 721 and its coalition partners in Fix L.A. locked in an agreement with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to fill 5,000 newly created city jobs through a groundbreaking hiring and training program targeted to underrepresented L.A. residents.

This agreement formalized a key deal point reached in negotiations last fall between the City of Los Angeles and SEIU 721 and other city unions. We won a great new contract last September that included raises for all city workers, protected our compensation and benefits, committed the city to create 5,000 new city jobs as a first step toward restoring services cut during the recessions. But the agreement to create 5,000 jobs lacked specifics. That changed last month.

In April 28th, I joined Mayor Garcetti, Councilman Paul Krekorian, Councilman Paul Koretz, other city leaders, and our partners in Fix L.A. and the Coalition of City Unions to unveil a new City of L.A. hiring and training program that will expand jobs and restore and improve vital city services — from tree trimming to school crossings, to 911 dispatch — that residents expect and deserve.

The jobs agreement illustrates a vital part of SEIU 721’s strategy in action. We helped form Fix L.A. to build power for our members and other city workers by forming coalitions with several dozen L.A. community and faith-based groups. We advocated together for the restoration of services. We kept the pressure on and secured the 5,000 new jobs — even after we had secured a good contract for our members — because we made a commitment to a coalition that has helped us every step of the way. That’s how we’re going to fix L.A.

Bob Schoonover, President