Thursday, May 1, on International Workers’ Day, SEIU 1021 members at the Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) teamed up with the local teachers’ union to push back against layoffs. Together, they marched and confronted the SCOE Board during the SCOE Board meeting.

Krystal Garcia, a licensed vocational nurse with SCOE, said: “I was one of the people who received a layoff notice. Luckily, my layoff notice was taken away, but some of my coworkers were less lucky. Receiving the notice was stressful. I cried. I’m the financial provider of my family. Because we have a union, we have a voice. We’re able to come together and fight back.” 

Alli Britton, a retirement analyst with SCOE, said: “It’s a tragedy. We’ve got to treat people who’ve received layoff notices with as much respect as possible. We’re gathering to make a show at the board meeting.”

Without a union, employees at SCOE would have no say over the future of their work lives. Because they have a union, employees at SCOE are coming together, building a coalition, and fighting back.