Search: Newswire, 06/2023

As you’ve probably heard by now, two devastating decisions were passed down by the United States Supreme Court today that further establish its regressive, harmful attitudes and policies toward the people of this country.

If you’re enjoying a cookout or other get-together this Fourth of July, don’t forget to shop union! Making the choice to spend your money on union-made products helps support union members just like you.

Hot dogs

• Ball Park (UFCW, IBT)
• Butterball (UFCW, IBT)
• Farmer John (IBT)
• Hebrew National (UFCW, IBT)
• Hormel (IBT)
• Oscar Mayer (UFCW, IBT)

Buns

SEIU 1021 members at the Superior Court of Butte County achieved a significant victory by campaigning and securing a $16,700 retention bonus. Jennifer L. Hunt, an official court reporter from Butte County, emphasized the importance of this achievement: “I work tirelessly to provide our county with the quality record its citizens deserve. We need additional reporters to support our efforts. That can only be accomplished with a competitive wage.”

On Thursday, June 22, 2023, the Civil Grand Jury for the 2022-to-2023 term published its “Time to Get to Work: San Francisco’s Hiring Crisis” report. The report describes how the City and County of San Francisco faces a crisis of excessive turnover and lack of recruitment in programs that address the city’s problems with drug addiction, untreated mental health disorders, and housing insecurity.

Just after 11 p.m., Monday, June 26, Oakland City Council passed its two-year budget.

On Sunday, June 25, Starbucks workers at the San Francisco Castro District store joined at least 3000 other Starbucks workers at more than 150 locations in a nationwide strike to protest the company’s alleged restriction of Pride decorations. 

From June 9 to 11, 2023, forty dedicated union member leaders and organizers from across the country, including seven from SEIU Local 1021, participated in the AFL–CIO Organizing Institute. Over those three days, they learned principles, shared their experiences, and reinforced best practices necessary to build a movement to meet this moment. Participants learned how to build workplace power in a variety of ways.

While Pride month, a month dedicated to elevating and celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community and commemorating the 1969 Stonewall riots, is being nationally recognized, Starbucks, a self-proclaimed “ally,” is accused of stifling workers’ freedom of expression and is once again embroiled in a controversy of its own making.

Starbucks workers across the country are reporting pushback to Pride celebrations, from refusing to allow employees to fly Pride flags to even removing Pride decorations.

On the morning of Tuesday, June 20th Mendocino County workers flooded the Mendocino Board of Supervisors’ meeting. The workers were there to demand the Board prioritize people and services in their budget.