Conference Report
On July 19, SEIU 1021’s city workers convened for their first industry convention, where they looked around at their common situations but also looked ahead to next year’s funding battles and the prospect of getting ahead of the curve with a strategic budget campaign that starts now.

SEIU 1021 represents workers in 24 cities representing a range of population sizes and environments, from several thousand to several hundred thousand, from the mountains to the valleys, the sea breeze to the smog. But all face similar challenges in providing and protecting the services they provide to city residents. So there were breakout sessions on “green cities,” the rights of city workers, privatization, and services for children and families. There was a posture and ergonomics lesson with a discussion of workplace health and safety.

Strategizing for the future
What attendees most said they appreciated, however, was the opportunity to hear how others have pulled off victory in the same situations they face themselves. Like getting to meet with department heads to propose better, more cost-effective ways to do things — and so have input while directors develop budget priorities in the fall, not waiting as always to fight back proposed layoffs in the spring.

With a seat at the table from the start, we can develop early public messages around local situations that emphasize community priorities. This can change the entire language of elections and contract campaigns: Fighting layoffs and benefits cuts, we’re “greedy public employee unions”; developing better budgets to provide improved community services, we’re “public servants.” Consider how a change like that in the public’s mindset could influence your next contract negotiations.

Convention attendees submitted recommendations to the Industry Council on getting training to read budgets, develop messages, and generally turn their ideas into action they can use in campaigns in their own cities.

“I get tired of us fighting defensive actions all the time,” said one member at day’s end. “It will be nice to get ahead of the game for a change.”

SEIU 1021 unites clerical, professional and technical workers in these cities:

Albany - Benicia - Berkeley -Chico - Corte Madera - El Cerrito - Emeryville - Fairfax - Fairfield - Fort Bragg - Fremont - Hayward - Ione - Jackson - Lathrop - Napa - Novato - Oakland - Piedmont - Redding - Richmond - Rohnert Park - San Anselmo - San Rafael - San Ramon - Santa Rosa - Sausalito - Sebastopol - Sonoma - Suisun City - Sutter Creek - Tiburon - Union City

City Workers Industry Contacts:

Executive Board: Cindy Bannister (cindy_bannister@comcast.net)
1021 Staff: Andre Spearman (andre.spearman@seiu1021.org)