After a 100-day, people-powered campaign, Barbara Lee has been elected the next mayor of Oakland, and SEIU 1021 members deserve a great deal of the credit for this historic and unifying political victory. Our union was behind her every step of the way, and our members were out in front of her campaign, hitting the streets time and again to talk to our neighbors in support of Lee’s vision to move Oakland forward.

As Lee, the first African-American woman to be mayor of Oakland, said, she will work to “bring people together who do not always agree, but believe in a better Oakland. While the challenges are many, the opportunities are great.”

City of Oakland Chapter President and 911 dispatcher Antoinette Blue said, “Barbara Lee’s win is a huge win for working people in Oakland. Once again, Oaklanders showed up for Oakland values and rejected divisive politics and out-of-town money pushing an agenda that only serves the wealthy. We showed up for Barbara Lee again and again, knocking doors and talking to our neighbors, and we made a huge difference for her. We look forward to working with her to increase services, protect jobs, and more.”

Keith Brown, Secretary of the Alameda Labor Council, will serve on the mayor-elect’s transition team, helping her “stabilize our city and foster meaningful collaboration between labor, business and all corners of our city to combat these challenges head on (and) to find agreement and common ground,” as he told the East Bay Times.

While the city’s budget remains a significant issue, moving forward with a mayor who understands the importance of our work and the value of the people who do it is a huge step in the right direction for all of Oakland. Congratulations to Mayor-Elect Lee and all Oaklanders on this historic moment!