Dual Legal Victories for 1021

Back-to-back rulings uphold 1021's fights for free speech and affordable health care

State upholds our right to wear purple

The Sonoma Superior Court's attempt to play speech police last fall has now drawn a rebuke from California's Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). As the body overseeing public sector labor relations in our state, PERB held that the court broke the law by restricting employees from wearing purple SEIU 1021 t-shirts and buttons in the workplace.  PERB's charge is now being litigated as SEIU 1021 is working with our law firm to protect our members and their right to have a strong Union.

Pictured: Sonoma Superior Court members protested the ban on wearing union colors at two courthouse rallies in August.


Landmark health care victory sustained in SF
In another favorable ruling, a federal appeals court has held that San Francisco can move forward with a groundbreaking program that provides sliding-scale health services for San Francisco's uninsured residents.

Ruling on a lawsuit by the city's restaurant lobby, a lower court had struck down the requirement that businesses pay a fee to help cover employees' health care costs, which would help about 20,000 people without insurance. The court's decision now makes effective the spending requirement for employers with 50 or more employees.