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Tell your CA legislator: Pass a Recovery Budget for All!

This pandemic has exposed our nation’s – and California’s – greatest weaknesses: inequality, racism, exclusion of immigrants, and the economic vulnerability of the vast majority of people, whether poor, working class, or middle class.
We cannot pass a budget that reproduces this injustice. Click here to send an email telling your CA legislator to pass a recovery budget for all.
SEIU frontline workers went from being invisible – to being “essential” – and now they’re on the chopping block. That’s not right.
We’re asking for a budget that:
- Generates new revenue from large corporations and the wealthy
- Includes no trigger cuts – this is a bad idea from the past and must not be repeated
- Includes no cuts that negatively impact working communities, low-income families, and communities of color
- Includes all immigrant workers and families regardless of status in our healthcare and economic safety nets
We need a bold, new approach – investing in our frontline communities who have risked so much to keep us safe AND asking for those who have benefitted the most from our economy to step up and contribute more. The time for courageous action is NOW, not next year. We can’t allow our state to kick the can down the road.
Click here now to email your CA legislator and tell them to pass a recovery budget for all.
Show Up for Oakland City Services!

Mayor Libby Schaaf recently said on KTVU Channel 2 that she stood for “people before profits.” This is just not true, as our temporary, part-time co-workers who were just issued layoff notices can prove.
We need to hold the Mayor and the City administrators to their words. That’s why on Tuesday, May 26, SEIU 1021 & IFPTE 21 members will take a car caravan around Lake Merritt to say #NoCutsToCityServices during COVID-19.
Join us at 5:30 pm in the parking lot next to the Lucky’s Supermarket at 207 E 18th St. We want to be visible and show our unity, so we will have signs for your back side windows, or you can use a purple shirt. We will be observing all social distancing guidelines.
Take Action To Save Jobs and Services
Call your US Senator at 844-967-2163
As the impending economic impact the COVID-19 outbreak will have on our communities comes into focus, we have seen many employers already calling for cuts to services and staff. We know there are difficult times ahead, but many of our communities have not yet fully recovered from the last recession. Cutting services further and not safeguarding against privatization would be devastating for millions, including SEIU 1021 members.
Tell Congress: Pass the HEROES Act

On May 15, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the 3 trillion dollar HEROES Act relief legislation as the U.S. coronavirus death toll reached 90,000. HEROES would provide much-needed relief to public jurisdictions across California facing budget shortfalls including those employing SEIU 1021 members.
The legislation must still pass the Senate if it is to become law. Tell Congress: Pass the HEROES ACT. Members of the Senate need to hear our loud demand to #ProtectAllWorkers NOW. They must put working people first.
The HEROES Act Will Authorize:
- $1T for State and Local Governments
- $200B in hazard pay for essential workers
- $75B for testing & contact tracing
- Up to $6K per family in direct payments.
SEIU 1021 and SF Supervisor Matt Haney Secure, Donate and Distribute Thousands of Pieces of PPE for City Workers

Thousands of masks and gowns were delivered to members across San Francisco on May 13. SEIU 1021 secured 10,000 masks for workers throughout northern California, and Supervisor Matt Haney donated over 5,000 masks and 1,500 gowns to SF workers.
“Today we lead by example. Supervisor Matt Haney and our Union have secured around 10,000 masks and gowns for front line workers. We challenge leaders in local governments, business CEOs, and tech titans to use their connections to secure PPE for frontline workers providing essential services to the public,” said Theresa Rutherford, VP of SF and CNA at Laguna Honda Hospital.
SF Chronicle Profiles Eight SEIU 1021 RNs in honor of Nurses Week
In honor of Nurses week, the San Francisco Chronicle profiled seven SEIU 1021 members battling coronavirus on both sides of the Bay Area on May 6.
The work done by every SEIU 1021 member has kept our communities safer and healthier, and the media has noticed. Many of our stories are countless, and often undisclosed in the media, but now thanks to you–our stories are going around the world.
Please share their stories published in San Francisco Chronicle with your co-workers and join the fight for #ProtectAllWorkers.
New County Child Welfare Services executive order
The Governor of California signed a new executive order regarding Child Welfare Services. It will allow county child welfare agencies and probation departments to perform necessary functions using alternative processes other than face-to-face interactions. This includes allowance for a 60-day waiver to allow for flexibility in the emergency placement of foster youth and ensures that foster youth have access to critical programs and technology by verifying foster care status for foster youth and wards of the juvenile court whose cases are pending.
Suspension of Professional Certification Requirements for Home Health Aides (HHAs)
The California Department of Public Health has issued a waiver for certification renewals of Home Health Aides. Home health Aides do not need to renew their certification until the end of the declared emergency.
This also applies to HHAs who have an expired certification, so that they can work if their certification expired within the last 2 years.
SEIU 1021 members call for PPE, safe working conditions, and an economy and democracy that work for all during powerful healthcare roundtable

On Thursday, April 30, SEIU 1021 healthcare workers hosted a roundtable discussion via Facebook Live to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, and ways members in healthcare settings have been working tirelessly to keep patients and our communities safe. You can watch the full discussion here (fast forward to the 7:00 minute mark).
Panelists encouraged everyone to take action by demanding Congress include funds for local and state governments in future stimulus bills to protect the crucial work we do. You can add your voice at seiu1021.org/actnow or by calling 877-851-2521 to be connected to the office of your elected representatives.
SEIU 1021 President Joseph Bryant and SEIU 1021 VP of Organizing Jennifer Esteen, RN hosted the event, along with a panel featuring:
- Theresa Rutherford, SEIU 1021 Vice President of San Francisco and Nurse Assistant at Laguna Honda Hospital
- John Pearson, Registered Nurse and SEIU 1021 Chapter President at Alameda Health System
- Dena Galindo, SEIU 1021 Steward and Office Systems Specialist at San Joaquin General Hospital.
- Dr. Amelia Breyre, Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR-SEIU) Regional Vice President for Northern California
“This is the fourth installation of our “reach every member” broadcasts, which we kicked off about six weeks ago at the start of “shelter in place.” We created this platform to provide important information and updates for our membership, to continue to organize, unite, and collectively fight to protect all workers who are impacted by the crisis, and we also wanted a space where we can lift up our coworkers who continue to heroically provide the essential services that allow our communities to function day in and day out throughout this pandemic,” said Joseph Bryant, SEIU 1021 President.
