Search: -08

Last night, Berkeley Legislative Aides employed by the City Council submitted a petition to the Berkeley Personnel Board calling for the same collective voice that other city workers enjoy. After successfully making their case to the Personnel Board, these 17 workers became the newest members of the Berkeley Community Service Chapter of SEIU 1021.

On the heels of a successful strike authorization vote, SEIU 1021 members at La Clínica de la Raza turned up the heat in their fight for a contract by holding a powerful unity break outside their offices on Wednesday, November 27. 

“For tens of thousands of families across Northern California, we are one of the only options people have for the health care they desperately need,” said Angel Valdez, Layout Graphic Designer and La Clínica SEIU 1021 Chapter President.

When Alameda Health System began notifying people of layoffs, workers knew how damaging it would be for patient care across the County’s hospitals and health services—and they began organizing to take action at the upcoming Board of Trustees meeting.

Flanked by over 30 coworkers and supporters in scrubs and purple union shirts, EVS worker Donn DesBoine told the AHS Board of Trustees at their September meeting, “Sometimes there’s one housekeeper to a floor…If the layoffs happen, there’s no care for infection control…[and] the patients are going to be affected.” 

On November 21, staff at Mills College formally requested recognition of their union in a letter to President Elizabeth Hillman, stating, “We seek to cultivate a partnership with College administration that honors the overwhelming support for unionization among Mills staff.”

The approximately 200 workers who could win their unions serve students in a wide range of non-faculty jobs in the library, administrative offices, art museum, IT services, and by supporting the College’s academic programs.