On May 29, SEIU 1021 member leaders and staff gathered in Vacaville with a shared purpose: to confront the serious threats facing our union and the communities we serve. Congress is considering deep budget cuts, including as much as $800 billion to Medicaid alone, that will devastate public services across our state. If they go through with the cuts, it means they will be responsible for layoffs, hiring freezes, and stagnant wages for workers employed by cities, counties, school districts, nonprofits, and other publicly-funded agencies.

They are attacking not only workers’ economic well-being. They are also attacking our collective bargaining rights, the public services we provide, and the strength of our communities.

“I’m trying to educate myself so I can educate others. I want to have effective tools to help my community fight back against Medicaid cuts. I want to know how to effectively organize my community to understand the devastating cuts that are coming,” said Brenda Verdugo, an eligibility worker at the San Joaquin Human Services Agency.

Another passionate member, Tami Bryant, an employment specialist at the Human Services Agency of San Francisco, also expressed her determination to help talk to fellow workers about what’s at stake.

“We are facing an unprecedented threat to our democracy. We are seeing how many people unknowingly work against their own best interests,” said Bryant. “What I want to get from today is how I can talk to people and be impactful and effective in my messaging so everyone can stand in solidarity with all working people.”

As SEIU 1021 Executive Director David Canham said during his opening presentation, “The fight now is bigger than our contracts.”

This is a fight to protect the future of public services and the well-being of every Californian.

What’s Next? How You Can Help:

• Educate Yourself: Attend upcoming trainings to understand the threats and tools to fight back.
• Organize: Join outreach efforts to mobilize your coworkers and community.
• Speak out: Use your voice to spread awareness and build solidarity. When possible, have conversations with coworkers, friends, and family.

Watch the video about what’s going on and how SEIU 1021 members are fighting back here.