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We Have to Stand Together to Tell the Mayor:
Put People Before Profits!

 Dear City of Oakland Co-Worker:

Just this morning, Mayor Libby Schaaf 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.

Dear City of Oakland co-worker:

This week has mostly been more of the same from the City of Oakland. They have implemented plans that hurt workers without planning or meeting with the workers in advance, they have engaged in dishonest budgeting that seems more interested in hiding money than using it, and they abruptly cancelled a City Council meeting where important votes were scheduled to deal with the pandemic and appoint the new City Administrator. 

This update covers three items: 

A statement from SEIU 1021 President Joseph Bryant:
Brothers, Sisters and SEIU Family,

I sit down to write this with a heavy heart, a grieved soul and sheer anger running through my veins as I watch the video of George Floyd being murdered by the police. It is yet another of many disturbing illustrations of how unbridled structural racism in this country means that a Black person cannot jog, drive, stand in front of a store, play with toys or even bird watch without facing death or the threat of death.

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.