Wednesday, May 8, the union members who keep Mendocino Lake Community College running – including custodians, admissions staff, financial aid staff, and maintenance technicians – demanded that their board of trustees invest in the Mendocino community. 

According to a report surveying workers in Mendocino County, “22% have experienced homelessness, with three percent currently homeless while working… 18% of respondents reporting applying for federal, state, and local programs to help with housing costs.” 

“Residing in Mendocino County is growing increasingly difficult,” said SEIU 1021 Chapter President Beronica Leon, an admission technician for Mendocino Lake Community College. “But high-quality education is a strong first step to invest in Mendocino’s Community. We want to educate Mendocino’s young people right here – in the community they grew up in.” 

At the board of trustees meeting, union members demanded that Mendocino Lake Community College negotiate with the union in good faith to settle a fair contract that recognizes the value of the college’s staff.