Courts Workers Storm Sacramento
On Tuesday, May 14, court workers from throughout the state met
with fellow SEIU members to talk to elected officials about the
need to continue to devote funds to courts most in
need. Court workers encouraged elected officials to make sure
those who interact with the courts obtain fair,
equitable, and timely access to services. To do this, elected
officials must invest in court hours, staff adequately, and
provide reasonable pay to retain dedicated, experienced
workers.
Sandy Walden, a court reporter at Contra
Costa Courts explained why she and her coworkers
decided to come to Sacramento to speak directly to legislators,
“Elected officials need to hear directly from us and the issues
that confront us everyday. They need to see and hear the people
whose lives they impact with the policies they pass or deny.”
Workers also spoke to elected officials and their staff about
closing the pay gap in the trial court industry. Court reporters
provide a necessary service to our judicial system, maintaining
not only the record, but the sanctity of court proceedings. Court
Reporters, which consists of a predominantly female workforce,
have not received an increase in their statutorily set transcript
rate in 30 years. It is time to close the gender pay gap.