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As workers in the public sector, we have to pay attention to politics. In elections, we have the opportunity to vote for our bosses, choosing the politicians who shape our working lives and fund the jobs we do.

Less than half an hour into Joe Biden’s term as president, he demanded that General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Peter Robb resign.  When Robb did not resign, Biden fired him, and followed it up the next day by letting go Alice Stock, who had been the Deputy General Counsel.

On Tuesday, January 26, 91.7 KALW staff joined radio hosts and unionized musicians from across the country to speak out at the SFUSD school board meeting against staff cuts and automation at the local station in an attempt to save public radio at KALW. Over the last year, local radio station 91.7 KALW has been making not-so-subtle changes to their live broadcast programming and announcing staffing.

When a freezer that was used to store the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a Northern California hospital broke down in early January, hospital officials realized they only had about two hours to administer the more than 800 doses that were stored inside. Our Mendocino County members immediately jumped into action, assisting in the rapid deployment of vaccines to their community. In just two hours, workers were able to get 200 badly needed doses administered. 

Today, January 12, 2021 app workers and members of We Drive Progress and Mobile Workers Alliance, along with consumers and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), filed a lawsuit challenging Proposition 22 for violating our state constitution. Prop 22 should be struck down.

In solidarity with fast-food workers across the nation who are fighting for a $15 minimum wage and a union, our local will be joining the nationwide strike at fast food locations in both Oakland and Sacramento on Friday, January 15. During the pandemic, fast-food corporations have prospered because frontline workers reported to duty despite being denied basic protections from PPE to paid sick leave. The pandemic has only underscored the urgent need for fast-food workers in the state to have a union.

On January 6, 2021, as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and news feeds began to flood with reports of unruly crowds and violence erupting at the nation’s Capitol, our President Joseph Bryant promptly shared a bold public statement written in real-time. Here is an excerpt of his powerful statement:

“We are witnessing an assault on our people, an assault on democracy, and an assault on our country. The racist, divisive lies fomented by President Trump have turned into a full-on coup attempt. This is not who we are.”