On Wednesday, September 2, hundreds of SEIU 1021 Sonoma County members gathered at the Finley Community Center to prepare for their contract fight.

The chapter’s 17-person bargaining team led the meeting, representing clerical services & technical support, maintenance, social services, nursing, and supervisory bargaining units.

Much of the meeting involved reviewing results of the chapter’s bargaining survey, in which 92% of members said their work makes a positive impact on the community. SEIU 1021 members keep the parks clean, the roads safe, healthcare available, and social services running for Sonoma County’s most at-risk kids.

Despite the critical work Sonoma County workers do, 69% of members said staffing levels are too low to safely and sufficiently serve the public’s needs. When County workers are understaffed, wait times grow longer, and services decline for everyone. 

 ”The power of our contract fight will ultimately depend on our ability to organize together and to reach out to the community,” said Chapter Vice President David Cameron, who works in Sonoma County’s Public Infrastructure Department. “To get the community on our side. The good news is that we are the community. The community is our friends and our neighbors, and our fight for public services is a fight for and with them.”