Latest News

It’s been a very busy time for the City of Oakland chapter. MONTHS ago, the City announced more than 100 layoffs. SEIU 1021 fought hard every day, demanding answers and accountability from the City, rallying and holding press conferences, working in coalition with other unions, exerting political pressure, and finding creative solutions to save jobs.

Tuesday, March 4, the Member Resource Center (MRC) held an open house at the SEIU 1021 Sacramento union hall. This open house was part of a series of open houses across the union’s five regions, showcasing the exciting new digital tools members can use to engage with and strengthen their union.

Specifically, the MRC Portal has been given a modern refresh. Along with a redesign on desktop, the new MRC Portal is also much more compatible with mobile devices. 

Following news of the new presidential administration’s plans for mass deportations, members with SEIU 1021 gathered at the Stockton headquarters on Saturday to learn more about immigrants’ rights.

The session was hosted alongside a group called El Concilio. Together, they went over legal rights and protections for people who are worried they may have to face Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. 

Last Tuesday, February 18, SFMTA proposed eliminating school crossing guards in San Francisco as a cost-saving measure at their board meeting. But by the time they introduced the proposal, the chambers were packed with outraged parents, crossing guards, and even students who had showed up to oppose the measure.

Wednesday, February 19, SFMTA directors notified SEIU 1021 that eliminating the school crossing guard program was off the table.

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

Contact: Jennie Smith-Camejo, jennie.smith-camejo@seiu1021.org, (510) 710-0201

SAN FRANCISCO: Wednesday, February 19, SFMTA directors notified SEIU 1021, the crossing guards’ union, that eliminating the school crossing guard program was off the table.

The City of Oakland recently issued layoff notices to more than two dozen SEIU 1021 members, and many workers belonging to other Oakland unions. Oakland’s union coalition has been fighting back hard against these cruel cuts that seek to balance the budget on the backs of working people.

On Wednesday, February 5, SEIU 1021 members at Vacaville Unified School District voted to ratify their new two-year contract with a nearly unanimous ‘yes’ vote.

Classified workers are encouraged that with this new contract, members will be safer on the job and receive the support they need to strengthen and maintain an environment for students and staff to thrive. Highlights in the contract include a $20 minimum wage, no cuts to healthcare, improved health and safety protections, and a one-time bonus.

Tuesday, January 28, members of SEIU Local 1021 working for Sonoma County — including children’s social workers, airport operation specialists, street maintenance crew, and veteran services staff — successfully halted the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors from purchasing the American AgCredit building at 400 Aviation Blvd., Santa Rosa.  

On Thursday, January 16, SEIU 1021 members and Dixon Unified School District ratified a tentative agreement in their reopener negotiations. Members voted by 98% in favor of the agreement, which includes a 6% raise retroactive to July 1, 2024, and a 1% raise retro to July 1, 2023. 

On Thursday, January 9, SEIU 1021 members at the San Francisco Superior Courts voted by an 84% supermajority to ratify a tentative agreement reached with court management shortly before the December holidays.

The new contract includes much-needed improvements to staffing and training that the clerks have been vocally demanding over the past several months of negotiations — and during their one-day strike October 24, which caused the courts to grind to a halt and paused major trials, including the infamous Momeni murder trial.

SEIU Local 1021’s Alta Regional Center chapter, which serves Californians with special abilities across the greater Sacramento region, has voted to ratify their new collective bargaining agreement in a landslide, with over 90% approval.

After long months of bargaining and a planned unfair labor practice strike for November 20 and 21, City of Berkeley members in the CSU / PTRLA chapter have won a strong contract. They voted by 93% to ratify it. They will now enjoy more than two dozen improvements to their contract.

On Monday, November 19, a coalition of Oakland city workers from several unions called a press conference to present a budget roadmap for Oakland, a city that badly needs one. The coalition was fighting against budget problems that are driving city administrators to propose service cuts and even potential layoffs, as threatened by longtime Councilmember Noel Gallo. 

On Tuesday, November 19, SEIU 1021 Sacramento City Unified School District members voted overwhelmingly to ratify their new ‘23-’25 tentative agreement. The bargaining team had been in negotiations since May.

They won this strong new contract thanks to members’ solidarity and commitment to show up and speak up at meetings and the bargaining team’s hard work negotiating for over six months.

Workers at La Clinica de la Raza, who offer culturally appropriate healthcare services to diverse and underserved populations across the East Bay, have been bargaining with management for months to get a fair new contract.

On Thursday, October 15, the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD) board meeting became a stage for nearly 30 passionate members of SEIU Local 1021. United in purple and purpose, these dedicated LVJUSD classified workers gathered to voice their frustrations over the district’s prolonged stalling in negotiations. Their presence was a powerful reminder of the urgent need for equitable treatment and respect in the workplace.

SEIU 1021 members at San Joaquin County Superior Court ratified their tentative agreement last week by an overwhelming majority. The bargaining team was very pleased to reach what they’re calling a fair contract in trying economic times, especially considering that some courts in other parts of Northern California are instead asking their workers for furloughs and contract extensions. 

SEIU 1021 members, including President Theresa Rutherford and Vice President of Organizing Brandon Dawkins, were among dozens of community members and union workers who came out to Portsmouth Square in Chinatown in San Francisco last Wednesday, September 24. 

They were there alongside Board of Supervisors President and SEIU 1021 endorsed mayoral candidate Aaron Peskin, Mayor London Breed, and other elected leaders and candidates to show support for Prop B.

This weekend, over 600 SEIU 1021 members will be gathering in Sacramento for an exciting, empowering convention. We’re coming together to rally and strategize for our biggest challenges ahead: a critical election in the coming months and the ambitious priorities we’ll be fighting for over the next three years.

Among the strategizing, workshops, and entertainment at the convention, speakers include SEIU International Executive Vice President Joseph Bryant, Assemblymember Liz Ortega, and Dr. Bill Fletcher.

On September 28, 600 SEIU 1021 members will be gathering in Sacramento for an exciting, thrilling, empowering convention. We’re coming together to rally and strategize for our biggest challenges ahead: a critical election in the coming months and the ambitious priorities we’ll be fighting for over the next three years.

Tuesday, August 20, the hundreds of SEIU 1021 members who keep Marin running – including childcare directors, ecologists, library assistants, recreation supervisors, landscape workers, housing specialists, water treatment operators, and more – hosted an open house of their brand new Marin regional office. 

In a major step forward for environmental justice, the City of Richmond and Chevron have reached a historic settlement that will significantly increase taxes for the Chevron Richmond refinery.

The leadership of Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez and Councilmember Claudia Jimenez were instrumental in reaching this deal. This is an unprecedented victory for the city and its residents, who have long advocated for Richmond’s biggest polluters to pay their fair share.

This agreement will:

The SEIU 1021 Member Convention is just around the corner! This event only comes once every three years and will take place in-person for the first time since the pandemic. It’s a chance to unite and celebrate our collective achievements while charting our path forward for the next three years. We will strategize on how best to continue our collective fight for equity, social justice, and workers’ rights. 

With strong member turnout, SEIU 1021 members at the Exploratorium museum in San Francisco voted by 97% last week to ratify their tentative agreement. Highlights include a 9.3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) over the three-year life of the contract; an increase in the minimum wage for SEIU 1021 bargaining unit workers; new recall rights for laid-off employees; and new protections around AI.

Tuesday, July 16, more than a dozen SEIU 1021 members at Sonoma County confronted their Board of Supervisors over its decision to remove peace officer status from park rangers. “Peace officer status” is a designation that allows rangers to perform duties similar to those of sheriff deputies within their parks, such as issuing citations, arresting people, and handling law enforcement situations. 

Thursday, June 27, a dozen unionized baristas and cashiers celebrated Pride at the Starbucks on Davison Drive and Deer Valley Road in Antioch, CA.

“Working for a multi-billion dollar corporation, I unionized because we deserve to have a say when it comes to our pay and staffing levels,” said Jasper Fontaine, a shift supervisor. “We’re having a sip-in to celebrate Pride because many of us are queer, and we want to create a welcoming environment both to queer Starbucks partners and to queer Starbucks customers. The union is inclusive.”

Unions representing Oakland city employees united on Friday, June 28, to together protest a proposal that would address a historical budget deficit by slashing funding to critical services, including firefighters and police.

Members of SEIU 1021 and IFPTE Local 21 gathered in front of City Hall at Frank Ogawa Plaza in the afternoon, donning their union colors and holding up signs that read, “Chop from the top!” 

Community ambassadors working for San Francisco’s Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs provide invaluable services to their communities every day. Most of them are multilingual, prepared to provide information to and help navigate residents and visitors in their own languages.

Last Wednesday, June 12, hundreds of SEIU 1021 members gathered in Highland Hospital’s cafeteria before marching on the Alameda Health System Board of Trustees, chanting “SAFE STAFFING SAVES LIVES!”

At the Board of Trustees meeting, member after member spoke up to demand a fair contract that addresses the core issues hurting AHS workers: bad management, safety, and staffing.

SEIU 1021 members working for Napa County ratified a new contract by 92%. Votes were tallied June 3.

The contract, effective from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027, includes a total 11% wage increase and winter recess. Employees will receive base wage increases of 4% in year 1, 3.5% in year 2, and 3.5% in year 3.

Additionally, a winter recess period has been established, with employees receiving 32 hours of winter paid time off annually. 

Since voting by a landslide 77% to form their union with SEIU 1021 last July, workers at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco have not stopped organizing. In addition to pushing for a fair first contract at the bargaining table, they are now also having to fight proposed involuntary layoffs. Wednesday, May 22, they took that fight directly to the Academy’s board of trustees.

On Monday, May 20, members of SEIU 1021 employed by the City of San Rafael – including childcare providers, street maintenance workers, and administrative staff – raised the alarm at the San Rafael City Council meeting. They alerted the council that their staffing crisis is unnecessarily endangering San Rafael’s children and families. 

SF Department of Public Health registered nurses and other frontline healthcare staff gathered outside of Laguna Honda Hospital on the afternoon of Thursday, May 9, for a National Nurses Week event that was both festive — and serious.

Monday, May 6, SEIU 1021 members at Marin Housing Authority (MHA) ratified a tentative agreement that makes significant advances toward making MHA capable of attracting adequate levels of union staff. The ratification vote passed overwhelmingly by 96%. 

Highlights of the new three-year contract include 12% over three years, including 6% the first year; a one-time $2000 bonus; 5% temporary vacancy premium pay; and the addition of Juneteenth as a holiday. 

Thursday, April 25, SFMTA parking control officers, station agents, and car cleaners rallied outside SFMTA headquarters. They are still in tough contract negotiations fighting for a fair contract, and one of their priorities is making sure SFMTA workers are safe on the job — and have input into important decisions that affect their work.

SEIU 1021 members participated in the Bayview Hunters Point Peace Walk and Environmental Justice Rally on People’s Earth Day, drawing attention to toxic waste left by the U.S. Navy and its ongoing impact on community health.

Organized by All Things Bayview and supported by allies like 350 San Francisco and 1000 Grandmothers, protesters marched, painted a street mural, and engaged in poetry and dance performances.

Monday, April 15, SEIU 1021 members at Marin Housing Authority (MHA) – including maintenance staff, case managers, and housing locators – picketed their employer to protect Marin County’s most vulnerable. 

Hospital workers from both SF General and Laguna Honda with SEIU1021 took to the front steps of the city’s only level 1 trauma center on Tuesday, April 4, to demand safer working conditions for all.

Nurses are often short staffed and find themselves traumatized while outnumbered. Some have to defend themselves from attacks by unruly patients while doing their best to provide care.

Members at San Francisco’s Human Services Agency (HSA) protested short staffing in their department, which they say makes it impossible to implement a new law that requires them to screen welfare applicants for drug use before signing them up for county public assistance.

SEIU 1021 members at the ARC of San Francisco have proven once again the strength of organizing in the workplace. And their story shows you don’t have to be in contract negotiations to organize and win when issues arise–including bad management.

As SEIU 1021 workers at Alameda Health System continue bargaining a new contract, they’re calling attention to the violence and unsafe conditions so many of them are subjected to.

They’ll be rallying on Wednesday, March 20, at noon at John George Psychiatric Hospital to say “no more!” All SEIU 1021 members are welcome to come show support and solidarity, and can RSVP with the Member Resource Center by calling 877-687-1021.

February rained us out, but the AFRAM Committee is thrilled to announce the rescheduled dates for our highly anticipated event series, “The Black Artists Who Sparked Organized Labor,” featuring the esteemed activist, author, and historian John William Templeton.

These talks and historic walks are not only enlightening, but a great opportunity to get to know fellow union members and to get inspired.

The rescheduled dates are:

Monday, February 26, SEIU 1021 members at Marin Housing Authority (MHA) voted to authorize their bargaining team to call a strike, should one become necessary. The strike authorization vote passed unanimously. 

The March 5 primary is just around the corner, and it’s an important election for working people – especially for people like SEIU 1021’s public sector and publicly-funded nonprofit workers.

These elections will have significant impacts on the services our members provide and on the communities we serve. Particularly important is the statewide Proposition 1, which, if passed, will put six billion dollars a year into mental health programs and housing.

SEIU 1021 is excited to invite all members to attend the event series organized by the African American Caucus for SEIU 1021(AFRAM): “The Black Artists Who Sparked Organized Labor,” with John William Templeton, an esteemed activist and historian, who guides attendees on this enlightening journey through informative talks and walking tours. 

Tuesday, January 30, Marin Housing Authority (MHA) employees, MHA residents, and Marin County taxpayers flooded the Board of Commissioners meeting. They successfully pushed the Board to postpone renewing its contract with Nan McKay, an incompetent subcontracting firm that has been replacing union jobs and terrorizing residents.

On a rain-soaked Saturday morning last weekend, dozens of volunteers–many of them union members–came together in the Richmond district in San Francisco. They were in sneakers and jackets, ready to brave the elements to get the word out to voters: San Francisco needs Prop B for public safety.

SEIU Local 1021 members working for Hayward Unified School District (HUSD) voted this week to approve a new two-year contract. After 15 months of bargaining, SEIU 1021 members ratified the strongest contract they’ve had in years, with a 95% ‘yes’ vote for paraeducators/YEP and 99% for maintenance and operations and SAFECO.

Members covered by the new contract include facility and maintenance workers, campus safety officers, nutrition service workers, early childhood development workers, paraprofessionals, after school program workers, and custodians. 

Mychal Threets, a passionate librarian and proud member of SEIU 1021, is causing ripples of positive change in Solano County through his impactful social media presence.

At the Fairfield Civic Center Library, Mychal has become a vocal advocate for the accessibility of books and the crucial role libraries play in communities. His compelling message transcends age barriers, urging both children and adults to embrace the world of literature by signing up for library cards and actively supporting libraries as indispensable community services.

MEDIA ADVISORY for Wednesday, January 17, 2024, 12PM

Press Contacts: 

Jennie Smith-Camejo, jennie.smith-camejo@seiu1021.org, (510) 710-0201

Luke Thibault, lthibault@ifpte21.org, (760) 534-9958

On Friday, January 12, SEIU 1021 members working for the City College of San Francisco (SFCCD) voted to ratify their new three-year contract, with 99.4% voting ‘yes.’ 

Classified workers are encouraged that with this new contract, members will be safer on the job and receive the support they need to strengthen and maintain an environment for everyone on campus to thrive.

Recently, City of Berkeley library workers have stepped up and pushed back against an increasingly common unfair management tactic: manipulating workers’s hours to keep them from being eligible for benefits.

SEIU 1021 Napa and Solano unity events were a spectacular celebration of solidarity and camaraderie. The evenings were filled with dancing, refreshments, raffles, dinner, and dessert.

The events were honored with the presence of local elected officials and influential labor leaders. As SEIU 1021 members came together, the unity events became not only a celebration but a powerful reaffirmation of collective strength and shared goals within the Napa and Solano communities.

Spirits were high today at the Oakland SEIU 1021 union hall – a.k.a. “Santa’s Workshop” – as dozens of volunteers and staff greeted hundreds of families in need with hot cocoa, cookies, hot lunch, and gifts galore. Intermittent rain throughout the day could not dampen the holiday cheer as kids’ eyes lit up at the array of toys.

On Thursday, November 16, thousands of Starbucks employees nationwide walked off the job during one of the busiest days of the company’s year: a promotional “Red Cup Day,” in which Starbucks hands out free red cups. In Northern California, workers staged labor actions at Starbucks stores in Berkeley, Emeryville, Fairfield, Hayward, Oakland, Pleasanton, Sacramento, San Francisco, Stockton, and Sunnyvale.

Yesterday, Monday, November 6, San Francisco City and County workers and supporters once again packed the SF Board of Supervisors Rule Committee. This time, their goal was to push the committee to pass the version of the charter amendment introduced two weeks ago by Sup. Matt Dorsey containing Sup. Ahsha Safaí’s amendment to the full Board of Supervisors. And they won an important early victory: The amended version of the legislation passed 2-1, with only Sup. Dorsey voting against his own bill.

In a remarkable show of unity, SEIU 1021 members at BrightSpring Health Services unanimously ratified their statewide contract.

After weeks of advocates pushing him to sign SB 525, Governor Gavin Newsom finally put his signature on one of the most consequential pieces of legislation for healthcare workers in the nation last Friday, October 13.

On Saturday, Sept. 30, and Tuesday, October 3, SEIU 1021 members working for San Francisco Unified School District voted to authorize their bargaining team to call a strike. A resounding 99.5% voted yes. 

September 29, 2023, marked the end of an era with the passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein. A trailblazer for women, she was the first woman president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and the first woman mayor of San Francisco before becoming the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from California. As a U.S. Senator, she was the first woman member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the first woman to chair the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, and the first woman to chair the Senate Intelligence Committee. 

SEIU 1021 members working for Asian Health Services (AHS) voted last week to approve a historic new three-year contract after eight months of tense negotiations.

“I am very happy about the COLA that we are getting,” said Apple Lo, a medical clinic technician at Asian Health Services. “The wage increase will solve the problem of retention and staffing issues we have been having for the past three or four years.” 

In recent years, labor unions in the United States have been experiencing a resurgence in popularity and support. Two significant developments highlight this trend: the soaring approval ratings for labor unions, reaching their highest point since 1965, and the growing support from Generation Z, the newest generation entering the workforce.

Last Thursday, September 14, was the final day of the legislative calendar for bills to pass the California State Legislature. Assembly Bill 1228 passed, marking a watershed moment for the state’s nearly 500,000 fast-food workers. 

Whether we’re at home or work, all of us need to deal with our changing climate. This year, we’ve had a hot, dry summer, floods, fires, and even hurricane-strength storms hitting Los Angeles. It’s time for union action!

As union members, we’ve seen the power we have to make changes at our workplaces, and we’ve felt the impact we can make politically. At the SEIU Climate Summit, we’ll build the skills and connections we’ll need for our 200,000 SEIU members across California to take decisive action to protect ourselves and the environment we all inhabit.

August 25, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) made a groundbreaking ruling in the CEMEX Construction Materials Pacific, LLC, case that changes the game in union organizing.

Last Tuesday, August 29, healthcare workers from across California rallied at the state capitol in downtown Sacramento. They were calling on lawmakers to support SB 525, a groundbreaking bill that would establish a $25 minimum hourly wage for healthcare professionals.

This wage would address staffing shortages by improving retention of existing healthcare workers and attracting new talent to the field. By pioneering this national wage standard, California hopes to set an example for the entire country.

Today, Tuesday, August 29, Mendocino County workers rallied at the Board of Supervisors meeting to defend county services. The rally comes after members voted last month by 92.4% to authorize a strike.

For the past five months, the county administration has refused to negotiate in good faith with its employees — all while staffing levels continue to hemorrhage. Fighting for the community’s access to road crews, public health nurses, children’s social workers, and other vital county services, County workers feel that the situation has become untenable.

Tuesday, August 8, 2023, a coalition of labor (including SEIU 1021), community groups, and elected leaders announced the creation of Sacramento Forward at a press conference outside Sacramento City Hall.

Sacramento Forward is a comprehensive policy proposal to address Sacramento’s housing and homelessness crisis. Sacramento Forward has five main prongs:

In an urgent rally on Monday, July 17, Asian Health Services healthcare workers joined together to confront a dangerous staffing crisis that is compromising critical health services and putting vulnerable patients at risk. Short staffing has led to excessively long wait times and declining levels of care for patients, impacting vital programs such as dental, membership, and referrals. Patients are facing waitlists of up to six months, with some waitlists containing up to 500 people, and they have reported waiting up to a week just for a referral.

While salaries for the highest paid Marin Water positions of District General Manager and District Council have been allowed to keep up with the consumer price index, the Marin Water Board of Directors has left the frontline workers behind.

If you’re enjoying a cookout or other get-together this Fourth of July, don’t forget to shop union! Making the choice to spend your money on union-made products helps support union members just like you.

Hot dogs

• Ball Park (UFCW, IBT)
• Butterball (UFCW, IBT)
• Farmer John (IBT)
• Hebrew National (UFCW, IBT)
• Hormel (IBT)
• Oscar Mayer (UFCW, IBT)

Buns

Just after 11 p.m., Monday, June 26, Oakland City Council passed its two-year budget.

On May 12, 2023, SEIU 1021 members joined the Oakland stop of the Big Oil Resistance Tour presented by the 900 organizations comprising the Last Chance Alliance. The tour began in San Diego, held events in 8 cities including Los Angeles, Ventura, Bakersfield, Oakland, and concluded on May 13 in Sacramento with 1021 members there too!

In August 2021, the Alameda County Superior Court ruled that Proposition 22 violated the California Constitution. On December 13, the California Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in the gig corporations’ appeal of that ruling. Out in force were hundreds of gig workers, community supporters, allies, coalition partners, and public officials supporting workers’ rights.

On Saturday, December 10, SEIU Local 1021 was honored at the 20th Anniversary Human Rights Awards, receiving a 2022 Human Rights Award from the non-profit Human Agenda organization, which seeks to envision a world in which everyone’s needs are met, to create local institutions that are democratic, cooperative, egalitarian, sustainable, and kind, and to take individual responsibility for embodying the changes we want to see.

On Monday, November 21, 2022, the Berkeley City Council passed an ordinance from Vice Mayor Kate Harrison and the Labor Commission to protect and compensate low-wage and part-time workers at some of Berkeley’s largest employers. The Fair Work Week Ordinance reduces the mental and physical strain of last-minute schedule changes and extreme back-to-back shifts. It requires covered employers to offer part-time workers additional hours before hiring new part-time staff.

The midterm elections are right around the corner and SEIU 1021 members are fired up to talk to their friends, neighbors, and coworkers about the political candidates we are endorsing in this election. It is crucially important for our union to endorse and support candidates who are committed to the cause of working folks—it’s our opportunity to elect the people who approve our contracts, make decisions about funding our services, and set policies that dictate the future of our communities.

It is often said that we, as public-sector workers, elect our bosses. Having pro-labor candidates run for and win public office is vital, particularly when it comes time for contract negotiations. Who sits across from us at the bargaining table can dramatically change the dynamics of our contract. That is why when someone sitting across from the bargaining team not only has a pro-labor platform but is a union member; it makes all the difference.

With so many candidates and initiatives on every ballot, sitting down to vote can feel overwhelming. However, our votes are important tools for making our jobs and our communities better. To help make voting simpler, SEIU 1021’s endorsements are listed here and our volunteer opportunities are here.

Leading up to the November 8 general election, we’re sitting down with SEIU 1021 member leaders across Northern California to talk about what’s at stake for workers like us whose employers are (or are funded in large part by) elected leaders.

This week, we’re talking to North Central Regional Vice President Akbar Bibb about what is top of mind for him as the general election approaches and with many bargaining units in the midst of contentious contract negotiations.

Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 152 to extend COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave to essential workers until December 31, 2022. COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave was previously set to expire on September 30 2022, leaving workers with only the state-mandated three paid sick days as the state faces the possibility of fall and winter surges of the highly transmissible virus. 

Public-sector workers across Northern California are facing staffing and retention issues, which in turn are impacting the important services they provide. Now, in partnership with IFPTE 21, our members in Solano County are calling attention to the ways that understaffing hurts us all, and in particular the most vulnerable members of our communities.

SEIU 1021 members working in San Francisco’s nonprofits provide a range of important services. They work for social services organizations, supportive housing nonprofits, museums, and more. They help feed, educate, heal, and house people. They are there for some of our city’s most vulnerable residents at their most difficult moments—and this year, they’ve shown how belonging to SEIU 1021 allows them to do this life-changing work without being taken advantage of by their employers.

In a year where many SEIU 1021 chapters have been negotiating new contracts, the North Coast region from Marin County to Del Norte County has been scoring some important wins.

For example, the Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) bargaining team, with the help of members’ advocacy and activism, won an impressive 24% wage increase over three years (8% per year starting July 1, 2022), in addition to one-time hazard pay bonuses of $750-1500 and improvements in contract language around non-discrimination, working conditions, layoffs, and more.

When a mass movement of workers comes together, nothing is impossible. Assembly Bill 257, the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act, or FAST Recovery Act, passed the California State Senate last Monday, August 29, 2022. The next day, the California State Assembly re-approved the bill.

On Thursday, August 25, SEIU 1021 joined US Senator Alex Padilla and San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, along with officials from the California Department of Public Health and San Francisco Department of Public Health, at a press conference to discuss the growing monkeypox outbreak.

Padilla toured San Francisco’s main monkeypox vaccine site at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital as California surpasses 3,000 cases statewide. After the tour, local and state leaders advocated for additional vaccines and equitable distribution throughout California.

On August 9, workers marched and rallied at a lunchtime break action outside the Felton Institute’s Family Developmental Center building. Workers were voicing their frustration with management’s unwillingness to negotiate a fair contract with existing members at Felton while also protesting management’s attempts at intimidating the not-yet-union workers attempting to join SEIU 1021.

Pension funds not being deposited into employees’ accounts, forcing some to delay retirement. 401(k) contributions being deducted from paychecks but not deposited into 401(k) accounts. Insurance premiums being deducted from paychecks but not paid to the insurance companies, so that policies are being canceled or are refusing to accept claims without payment. Approved leave not being paid. Overtime not being paid. New hires not receiving their benefits when they reach the date they should. Teachers not getting paid for months.

This weekend, the US Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act. This bill makes a historic down payment on deficit reduction to fight inflation. It will invest in domestic energy production and manufacturing, as well as reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030.

Last Wednesday, July 27, workers at the Felton Institute marched and rallied at a lunchtime break action outside the Felton Institute’s Family Developmental Center building in San Francisco to speak out on the understaffing and burnout issues they are facing. 

As the heat turns up in fast-food restaurant kitchens across California, so does the fight to pass Assembly Bill 257 in the California State Senate. AB 257 would enact the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act, or FAST Recovery Act.

The bill is a monumental piece of legislation for fast-food workers. It would create a first-of-its-kind industry standards board and give workers a seat at the table with global corporations like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Jack in the Box to set industry-wide standards like wages, benefits, and working conditions.

August 22, 2022, SEIU 1021 will welcome our new president, Theresa Rutherford. At the executive board meeting last Saturday, July 23, the board voted by a landslide to appoint the current San Francisco regional vice president to replace the local’s current president, Joseph Bryant, who was elected executive vice president of the SEIU international union last month.

Congratulations to Exploratorium members who recently ratified a new contract! Management opened negotiations by giving a presentation projecting a five to seven million dollar deficit, but members made it clear that they won’t let the boss balance the budget on their backs.

They instead got organized and brought the fight from the bargaining table to the shop floor to showcase their unity — and it paid off.

Workers at the Zone 7 Water Agency are responsible for providing flood protection and safe drinking water for the Livermore-Amador Valley. Recently, their bargaining team, including Tom Hempill, Alfonso Espinoza, and Mike Garguilo, went through wage negotiations with management, securing a three-year deal, with Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) of 6% in the first year, 5% in the second, and 4% in the third. They also proposed doubling the boot allowance to $400 for a number of classifications, but that is still pending a closed session of the Board on June 15.

Members of SEIU 1021’s Oakland Unified School District chapter headed to Sacramento last Tuesday, May 17, along with members of Oakland Education Association, community allies, and union members from other school districts, including Vallejo, Inglewood, and South Monterey County. They had a very specific mission: advocating for state assemblymembers to support Assembly Bills 1912 and 1614.

I wish I could say I was shocked by this week’s news of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. I am a lot of things: I am angry, I am upset, I am heartbroken, I am afraid, I am outraged—but I am not shocked.

On Tuesday, April 26, hundreds of SEIU 1021 members from across Alameda County rallied outside a closed session of the Board of Supervisors to call for the sacrifices of members to be honored. The pandemic has led to an increased need for the vital services that frontline workers provide. Whether we’re called “public servants,” “disaster workers,” or “heroes,” it’s clear that we deserve recognition and that the County must invest in and reward its dedicated workforce. 

January 10, 2022: City of Hayward workers came into their latest contract campaign knowing things had to change. The City had allowed some workers to fall behind. In years past, management had even imposed onerous, unfair contract terms on its workforce—a move which was later reversed by a Public Employment Relations Board judge, but which showed clearly their lack of respect for and understanding of the City’s workers.

Sacramento, CA – The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California released the following statement from Bruce Boyer, a member of SEIU Local 1021 and Campus Monitor at Will C. Wood Middle School in Sacramento, after the Senate Judiciary Committee passed AB 1482 by Assembly member David Chiu (D-San Francisco).  The legislation would protect working families struggling to keep their homes by preventing landlords from rent gouging and requiring landlords to have just cause to evict tenants.

On March 7, more than 1,000 San Francisco workers and community allies protested in front of the headquarters of the SF Municipal Transportation Agency and the city’s Human Resources Department to demand City Administrators take immediate action to stop sexual harassment and end gender discrimination across city departments. 

The rally comes after city ombudsman Dolores Blanding released a report detailing allegations of bullying, verbal abuse, discrimination, and sexual harassment within city departments. 

Across the country, workers are rising up to hold leaders and corporations to account for starving and dismantling public services and public school districts. In Northern California, our members in San Francisco and Oakland have taken to the streets tofight for working families and our communities.

On January 24, Mendocino Lake Community College District (MLCCD) Classified and Temporary workers picketed at the college campus in Ukiah to protest unnecessary takeaways, including workers’ ability to use earned time off in cases of extended illness or injury. 

Top administrators have inflated their own salaries while trying to hold down wages for faculty and staff, and replace good jobs with temporary positions that lack benefits.

Fall classes at Santa Clara University (SCU) start this week, and faculty and students are ramping up their organizing efforts. They’re urging Father Engh, the president of Santa Clara University, and the Board of Trustees to reverse their decision denying faculty a free and fair process to unionize.

On July 27, Brian Klovski got a call from his boss that a mandatory evacuation was in place due to a massive wildfire, and it was spreading fast. “We train throughout the year to prepare for calls like that.  Within hours, we got to work to help evacuees displaced by the Mendocino Complex Fires with temporary shelter.”
 
Brian works for the Health and Human Services Department helping coordinate homeless services throughout the Mendocino County. During a countywide disaster, he leads the Mendocino County Care and Shelter Team.