At the Regional Center of the East Bay, more than 300 SEIU 1021 members work to advocate for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. In their recent contract campaign, these members showed their spirit and solidarity and won what their bargaining team called “the best contract RCEB has ever seen.”

The contract runs from December 1, 2023, through October 31, 2027. Highlights include an immediate 8% COLA, with a $750 bonus coming in each of January and June of 2024, followed by 2% COLAs in July of 2024 through 2027. New salary steps have been added; the employer will take on greater contributions to medical coverage for workers’ families; and time off and telecommuting options have both been greatly improved.

Jeffery Dix, a quality assurance specialist with RCEB and chapter president, said, “Our members were super engaged throughout. They formed study groups and committees to draft new contract language and do research. This was incredibly important, because as a union, we only succeed when we get members involved, and during a contract campaign is the best time to do that.

“We got people involved and excited to do more. You can’t get a good contract without engaging your members and being transparent with them. We kept people informed about our proposals throughout. While we didn’t always take people’s recommendations, when we didn’t take them, we were honest and open about why.”

Throughout the campaign, RCEB workers got creative with their demonstrations, decorating their work spaces with SEIU 1021 purple — competing to see who could do the best job — and showing tremendous enthusiasm for their work and for a strong new contract.

In the end, the members voted 99.7% YES to ratify the new contract.

The campaign was successful, said Dix, because it operated on so many levels. He said, “We’ve been successful in working with staff from the local and our SEIU California Developmental Disabilities Council on things like lobbying meetings in-person in Sacramento and remotely to advocate for our system and the people we serve. RCEB is a state-funded nonprofit, so it’s important for us to get our members involved in political work.”