Newswire

SEIU 1021
Overview

Newswire

Looking for stories from our latest weekly SEIU 1021 Newswire? Here you go!

Article

Support clean air and a healthy climate (and enter to win a t-shirt)!
Submit a comment to the EPA on the proposed standards to cut climate pollution

The time to do nothing is long gone. With ever-growing examples of climate change’s harmful effects, it’s clear the consequences disproportionately affect working people and people of color. SEIU members, families, and communities are directly impacted by the threats of air and water pollution and extreme weather events. 

Power plants are responsible for approximately 25% of the climate pollution that threatens our health and the health of our families, communities, and environment.

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United Felton Workers demand management stop risking the health and safety of children, staff, and clients
Sign the petition to keep the clients and workers of Felton Institute safe

There are serious concerns about the health and safety of the children and workers at Felton Institute. In the 2022-2023 school year, staff reported several disturbing events across Felton’s Early Care and Education sites that put the health and safety of many at risk. Make your voice heard and demand crucial changes in the workplace to meet the health and safety needs of the Felton community.

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Mendocino County Workers rally in the midst of strike vote to save county services

On Thursday, July 20, Mendocino County workers rallied in the midst of a strike vote to save county services.

Despite total revenue for Mendocino County having increased 44.8% since 2019-2020, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors has continued to bargain in bad faith with its employees. In the most recent negotiations, the County suggested that its employees pay more for their healthcare and retirement – an overall pay cut that will further harm the County’s ability to address its staffing crisis.

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“That’s a Wrap!” SAG–AFTRA members go on strike in the era of streaming and AI

July 14, 2023, marked the first time that the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), Writers Guild of America West (WGAW), and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG–AFTRA) have walked out on strike simultaneously since 1960.

Both the 2023 SAG–AFTRA and WGA strikes have contributed to the most significant interruption to the United States television and film industries since the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.

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Hundreds of Asian Health Services members picket in Oakland’s Chinatown
They demand a fully staffed clinic and new contract

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.

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Seventh largest school district in California fails to pay its lowest-paid workers
SFUSD shortchanges staff. Again.

July 12 was supposed to be payday for San Francisco Unified School District staff. Yet, nearly 1,000 of its lowest-paid, hardworking employees, including lunch servers, nutrition workers, janitors, and clerks who help keep San Francisco schools running every day, did not receive their much-needed checks, instead receiving a last-minute email from the district stating that it was “unable to implement that timeline successfully.” Workers were informed their checks wouldn’t be available until two weeks later, on July 26.

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SEIU 1021 San Francisco nonprofit workers win big increase to minimum compensation ordinance
They also secured a 3.75-4.75% cost of doing business increase that will be passed on to workers

After many months of advocacy and rallies at San Francisco City Hall, SEIU 1021, supported by SEIU 2015 and community partners, accomplished our goal of securing a 4.75% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)/cost of doing business (CDB) for our members working for nonprofits funded by the San Francisco Departments of Public Health, Homelessness, and Adult Probation, as well as 3.75% for all other City-funded nonprofits. 

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Mendocino County workers picket to save county services
The Board of Supervisors continue to fail to address staffing crisis, harming services for Mendocino families, children, and elderly.

Despite total revenue for Mendocino County having increased 44.8% since fiscal year 2019-2020, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors have suggested County employees pay more for their healthcare and retirement – an overall pay cut that will further harm the County’s ability to apply a tourniquet to its staffing crisis. As County workers continue to escalate towards what could be the largest strike Mendocino County has seen in recent history, County workers picketed Tuesday, July 11, outside the courthouse to save county services.  

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The fate of the anti-worker Proposition 22 goes to California Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of California granted a request by the California Gig Workers Union on June 28, 2023, to decide the constitutionality of 2020’s California Proposition 22, a voter-approved measure to classify drivers for gig corporations such as Lyft, Uber, DoorDash, Instacart, and Postmates as contractors rather than employees. The court’s action set aside a lower-court ruling that had primarily upheld the 2020 ballot measure.

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San Francisco Starbucks workers file for their union election

On Wednesday, July 5, Starbucks workers at the 8th and Irving store in San Francisco filed a petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board.

“We as workers are making all the money for these billion-dollar companies, and we’re not seeing any of it. We need an end to the disrespect we get from management, and we need consistent, adequate hours and a living wage,” said Atakan Deviren, a barista at the store for the past year. 

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Cal Academy of Sciences workers need your support
They are organizing their union with SEIU 1021 -- and Academy management is engaging in classic union-busting tactics

On May 25, 2023, workers at the California Academy of Sciences filed for an NLRB union election to join SEIU 1021 as CalAcademy Workers United. Their election petition demonstrated overwhelming support across the Academy for the formal recognition of our union.

Since then, management has been attempting to defeat their organizing campaign by using typical union-busting tactics including:

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Mendocino County workers host strike school

After months of bargaining with a county administration that refuses to address its staffing crisis — leaving its families, children, and seniors in danger  — SEIU 1021 members at Mendocino County held a strike school on Wednesday, June 28, to educate themselves about their rights and responsibilities should a strike be necessary.

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Shop union for Independence Day!

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

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SEIU 1021 members win big from Butte County to Solano County

SEIU 1021 members at the Superior Court of Butte County achieved a significant victory by campaigning and securing a $16,700 retention bonus. Jennifer L. Hunt, an official court reporter from Butte County, emphasized the importance of this achievement: “I work tirelessly to provide our county with the quality record its citizens deserve. We need additional reporters to support our efforts. That can only be accomplished with a competitive wage.”