For Immediate Distribution

Contact: Chris Flink: chris.flink [at ]seiu1021.org

Oakland, CA – Thursday, September 24, workers at two Oakland early childhood education centers announced their intention to form unions in their workplaces. Citing issues like staffing, burnout, turnover, and workload, workers including teachers, teacher aides, and housekeeping staff sent their respective centers’ management a formal notice of their intent, and celebrated the historic day in front of their locations early in the morning.

At BlueSkies for Children, Sandra Rodriquez said, “Because of the constant teacher turnover and burnout my co-workers and I are experiencing, the quality of care management says is being given at this school can not be given. We can’t keep teachers here because they’re undervalued and underpaid. All we want is enough staffing to help children thrive, but our management just isn’t listening. Our union will give us a voice.” She has been a teacher at BlueSkies for Children for nearly 30 years. 

A few miles away, at St. Vincent’s Day Home, the oldest and largest child development and family service center in Alameda County, Kaylin Martin said, “Over the time I’ve been here, we’ve seen many small changes adding up to big disruptions that impede our ability to work with our students. Teachers deserve better and our students deserve better. Our union will give us a seat at the table to do just that.” They have been a teacher there for nearly two years now.

Now that the workers have announced their intention to form their union, their workplaces have the option of recognizing the unions and beginning to bargain with them over the issues the workers are raising. Otherwise, there will be a process overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). 

Jennifer Esteen is a psychiatric nurse who serves as SEIU Local 1021’s Vice President of Organizing. She said, “Early childhood educators are part of the foundation of our society. The conditions they work in are the conditions our children learn in. Today, educators at Blue Skies and St. Vincent’s Day Home have taken the first step to form their union to ensure they have dignity and equity on the job. We expect to have their union recognized so their rights can be enshrined into a contract. This is only the beginning.”

Who: Employees of BlueSkies for Children and St. Vincent’s Day Home 

Where: BlueSkies for Children: 3201 Brookdale Ave., Oakland; St. Vincent’s Day Home, 1086 Eighth St., Oakland

What: Workers have notified their bosses of their intention to form unions in their workplaces

Visuals: Photos and video from the day available here for use with attribution to SEIU Local 1021: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/nfu4ldlu0r9ydjiudcr6e/ANRZyRsz9FJAPkUvwyzhw_4?rlkey=qd0k6v2s9f46ltjdl1zd3q8m2&st=txee8bl6&dl=0

SEIU Local 1021 represents nearly 60,000 employees in local governments, nonprofit agencies, health care programs, courts, and schools throughout Northern California, including private colleges and community colleges. SEIU Local 1021 is a diverse, member-driven organization with members who work to make our cities, schools, colleges, counties, and special districts safe and healthy places to live and raise our families.