**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

Contact: Chelsea Fink, Chelsea.Fink@seiu1021.org, (510) 435-8282

SAN FRANCISCO, CA—After five months of negotiations, SEIU Local 1021 members working as community schools coordinators, food service workers, custodians, and clerks at the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) voted overwhelmingly to approve a new contract that centers safety for all community members regardless of immigration status in a time of ICE raids and family separations.

“This is a strong contract we can all be proud of, made possible through the support of our membership showing up over and over at our sympathy strike with UESF and speaking out at board meetings,” said SEIU 1021 Chapter President Antonaé Robertson, SEIU 1021 chapter president and a senior clerk with SFUSD. “Standing together allowed us to gain improvements in worker protections, plus much-needed raises and the addition of sanctuary policies to protect our students and their families. This is a win for our whole community.” 

In addition to necessary pay increases across the board, new hires will benefit from year-for-year credit in step placement, with additional recognition for prior district experience and hard-to-fill roles, helping schools recruit and retain skilled staff who directly serve students. Other wins include new safeguards around the use of artificial intelligence to protect workers’ jobs.

“We are proud of what we accomplished for our members and community,” added SFUSD clerk and bargaining team member, Shellie Wiener. “In this moment, when so many of our students and families face the threat of intimidation or worse at the hands of federal agents, it is our duty to do what we can to stand up and say ‘not in our city, not at our schools.’”

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SEIU Local 1021 represents nearly 60,000 employees in local governments, nonprofit agencies, health care programs, courts, and schools throughout Northern California, including seven private colleges and numerous 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.