**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

Contact: Chelsea Fink, chelsea.fink@seiu1021.org, (510) 435-8282

VACAVILLE, CA -  Vacaville Unified School District classified staff, including paraprofessionals, nutrition workers, student supervision workers, custodians, clerical workers, bus drivers, and maintenance workers, have voted to authorize their bargaining team to call a strike. A resounding 90% voted yes. They will now attend the VUSD School Board meeting on Thursday, December 19, in a final effort to persuade the board to address the critical issues affecting workers and students.

WHAT: VUSD School Board Meeting
TIME: 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
DATE: TODAY, Thursday, December 19
WHERE: Vacaville ESC, 401 Nut Tree Rd., Vacaville, CA
WHO: SEIU 1021 members & community supporters
VISUALS: Members dressed in purple, signs, speakers from SEIU 1021

Currently, VUSD classified employees, who are members of SEIU 1021, face understaffing, unsafe classrooms, and the threat of massive cuts to healthcare that would harm future classified employees with families and likely deter future applicants from applying—fueling already high turnover. Classified employees provide invaluable support to Vacaville’s students, ensuring safe transportation to and from school, hot meals, clean campuses, critical classroom assistance, and more, and without them, classes would grind to a halt.

“SEIU 1021 classified professional employees made history with this resounding strike vote authorization, making it clear to the district that enough is enough,” said SEIU 1021 VUSD Chapter President Barbra Hamilton, who has worked for the district for 20 years. “Our members are ready to take our district back and focus our time and love on our students, which is why we are here. Our concerns about our students’ and coworkers’ welfare have gone unheard for far too long, and instead, we have been met with bullying, disrespect, and threats from administrators at the main office. We don’t want to strike, but we are ready to do what we must to protect our students and fellow members.”

Classified employees are committed to keeping schools safe and running smoothly for Vacaville students. But mounting frustration at a district that has proven itself unwilling to listen to ongoing concerns around safety concerns and harmful cuts to medical benefits while continuing to violate state labor law has pushed them to take more drastic action.

###

SEIU Local 1021 represents nearly 60,000 employees in local governments, nonprofit agencies, health care programs, courts, and schools throughout Northern California, including seven private colleges and numerous community colleges. SEIU Local 1021 is a diverse, member-driven organization with members who work to make our cities, schools, colleges, counties, and special districts safe and healthy places to live and raise our families.