Fight for a Fair Economy: The action starts now!

Published on August 12th 2011

Here are some ways that SEIU 1021 members can get engaged now, this week. Who says August has to be a slow month?

August 13: Tax the Super Rich

Sa 8/13 - 2p - Campaign Meeting - SEIU 1021, 2300 Boynton Ave., Fairfield

Members will discuss the goals of the campaign and how they can take an active role. The SEIU 1021 Executive Board endorsed the campaign at its July 30 meeting. An excerpt from the resolution:

“Further be it resolved that 1021 will expand its work to educate and organize our membership and the public in preparation for a grassroots petition campaign for a tax the rich, or other progressive tax revenue, initiative which will start in November, 2011. Specifically we will commit necessary resources to planning and preparing for a petitioning campaign if a critical coalition is formed.”

Tax the Super Rich

August 15-26: San Francisco Superior Court Week of Action

San Francisco court workers are facing a 41 percent reduction in staff -- and all the service cutbacks, heavier workloads and unhappy public that will result. So they’re planning a series of actions. Info: SF Courts Chapter President Adrienne Williams, awilliams@sftc.org

1) Beginning Monday, Aug. 15, they’ll be leafleting the courthouse, urging the public to call their legislators and tell them no more cuts to the already-unbearably-slow judicial system.

2) Member-to-Member Phone Bank
We 8/17 - 11a-2p - Courts Civic Center, 400 McAllister, Room 509
Th 8/18 - 12-2p - Hall of Justice, 850 Bryant St., 2nd floor Law Library

3) Fr 8/26 - Noon - Rally at the Administration of the Courts Building, 455 Golden Gate, SF
Court workers will reprise their July 22 actions at the monthly meeting of the Judicial Council, demanding again that millions wasted on bloated bureaucracy, dysfunctional databases and new empty buildings go to providing court services instead.

August 16: Speak Out for Good Jobs

Tu 8/16 - 5:30-8p (doors open 5p) - Acts Full Gospel Church, 1034 - 66th Ave, Oakland

Two pro-worker members of Congress -- Rep. Barbara Lee (CA) and Raul Grijalva (AZ) -- are coming to town to hear from us about the need for good jobs in our communities ... and much more, no doubt.

August 16: Lobby Day for Libraries

Tu 8/16 - 9:30a-3p - State Capitol, Sacramento
To participate, contact Marla Harvey at marla.harvey@seiu1021.org.

Members of SEIU 1021 will take part in a lobby day visit to Sacramento to educate legislators about the dangers of library privatization and seek their support for AB 438, a bill that would make it difficult to privatize public libraries. With no state law against it, libraries have already been privatized in several southern California cities. We can prevent it from happening here.

August 17: Protect Social Security from Privatization

We 8/17 - 11a - One Post St., San Francisco
Info: Call 877-223-6107 (toll-free) or visit www.californiaalliance.org.

Join us to present more than 2,000 personal stories about Social Security to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. Urge her to stand up against cuts to Social Security. We need her clear commitment and positions on:

Privatizing Social Security
Raising the retirement age, means-testing or taxing benefits
Understanding that Social Security has not contributed one penny to the federal deficit

August 20: “Fight for a Fair Economy” Training, Workshop & Strategic Planning

Sa 8/20 - 10a-2p - SEIU 1021, 155 Myrtle St., Oakland

Join SEIU 1021 members and community activists as we develop our plan to hold banks and corporate tax dodgers accountable and restore fairness and opportunity for working families and communities.

August 24: “Fight for a Fair Economy” Research Training

“Research Training: How to Identify Corporate Tax Dodgers”
We 8/24 - 6-9p - SEIU 1021, 447 29th St., Oakland

Earlier this year in San Francisco, our member activists compiled a list of corporations who avoided paying local property taxes. They presented this list of tax dodgers to the City Assessor, who was able to collect millions of dollars in unpaid taxes as a result. This training will teach interested members a) how to access public records to compile such a database, and then b) use it to hold locally elected officials accountable.

August 25: Call to Action for County Courts

Th 8/25 - Noon-2p - Operation Justice: A Call to Action - Two Locations:
1) Renee C. Davidson Courthouse, 1225 Fallon St., Oakland
2) Hayward Hall of Justice, 24405 Amador St., Hayward

As Superior Court systems throughout California face unprecedented cuts, and as SEIU 1021 members in Alameda County prepare for contract negotiations next year, we are holding a massive rally at two locations to show solidarity between County and Superior Court employees, to demand an end to layoffs and concessions, and to support quality public services. Lunch will be served.