On Friday, October 20, over 100 SEIU 1021 members working in schools and community colleges from across the Bay Area gathered for an evening of fun, free food and drinks, and great conversation with fellow union members.

With SEIU swag, multiple raffle prizes, and an assortment of games to choose from, workers got to let loose while enjoying Smashburgers and Hawaiian shaved ice and dancing the night away to a DJ.

Event co-organizer and SEIU 1021 Education Chair Maria Salazar-Colón said, “It’s a good turnout. Members feel good. The atmosphere goes with the theme, which is member engagement. We have all these different school districts here, and it’s just amazing.”

Building solid relationships is the core of building a strong union, as members can get to know each other and share struggles, wins, and strategies for securing the best contracts possible for their chapter.

“This event gave us a chance to come together and get to know each other. Because when we come together, we win. And solidarity is very important,” said Donneva Reed, first vice president of the Oakland Unified School District Chapter.

While it’s important to celebrate and have fun together, education members across SEIU 1021 are also focusing on fights brewing in their regions. With Hayward Unified School District considering a possible strike and City College of San Francisco holding a strike vote and rally on Thursday, increasing member engagement to ensure a strong contract for members throughout the Bay and beyond is more critical than ever. 

The next education member celebration will be held in November in Sacramento.