Latest News
Latest News
From the Oregon border to the San Francisco Bay, get the latest updates from around our union.
When Tragedy Strikes, SEIU 1021 Members Must Stick Together
A Message from SEIU 1021 President Theresa Rutherford
Dear SEIU 1021 Member:
Last week a difficult week for Alameda Health System, as two
workers there passed away: Maria Tran, a psychiatric nurse
at John George, and Dr. Jing Mai, a physician resident intern at
Highland. These untimely deaths are terribly sad, and while we
may never fully understand why tragedies like these occur, we
know the effects will be felt in our workplaces and in our
communities for a long time.
Join SEIU 1021 in mobilizing to pass Prop O in SF!
Elections have consequences. And some of the most consequential items on the ballot are not candidates at all.
For example, San Francisco voters will be asked to vote on Proposition O this November. This ballot measure, which SEIU 1021 is sponsoring along with AFT 2121, will raise roughly $45 million a year for City College to provide the programs and wraparound services needed to serve its unique student population.
Running for the CalPERS Board of Administration, Yvonne Walker fights for pensions and retirement security
In the midst of a hotly-contested political season, there is a race for a vital position that may fly under the radar. Retired members, as of July 1, 2022, of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) have an opportunity to vote for their retired representative seat on the CalPERS Board of Administration. The 13-member CalPERS Board of Administration consists of officers who are elected, appointed, or hold office ex officio. The board of administration is responsible for the management and control of CalPERS.
SF nonprofit workers are making waves across the city
SEIU 1021 members working in San Francisco’s nonprofits provide a range of important services. They work for social services organizations, supportive housing nonprofits, museums, and more. They help feed, educate, heal, and house people. They are there for some of our city’s most vulnerable residents at their most difficult moments—and this year, they’ve shown how belonging to SEIU 1021 allows them to do this life-changing work without being taken advantage of by their employers.
Are you a new and aspiring member leader? Level up with our Internship for Leader Development
Applications for the sixth cohort are open--deadline to apply is Oct. 20!
SEIU Local 1021’s Internship for Leader Development Program is entering its sixth cohort and is looking for energetic and motivated members who are committed to working for social and racial justice and who believe in the value of work, the democratic process, and the importance of public services. This program will train and mobilize members who want to unleash their leadership potential.
North Coast chapters rack up strong new contracts
In a year where many SEIU 1021 chapters have been negotiating new contracts, the North Coast region from Marin County to Del Norte County has been scoring some important wins.
For example, the Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) bargaining team, with the help of members’ advocacy and activism, won an impressive 24% wage increase over three years (8% per year starting July 1, 2022), in addition to one-time hazard pay bonuses of $750-1500 and improvements in contract language around non-discrimination, working conditions, layoffs, and more.
Across California, SEIU wins for clinics workers and the communities that depend on them
A huge victory for community clinic workers! For the first time in our state’s history, all community clinic workers will receive $1,000 retention bonuses.
This victory wouldn’t have been possible without the participation and leadership of SEIU clinic workers across California. By uniting and bringing lawmakers’ attention to the struggles we face, we were able to secure this historic investment in workers.
You can check out a list of common questions and answers about the bonuses by clicking here.
Gov. Newsom signs AB 257 into law on Labor Day in major victory for fast-food workers
Fast-food workers win one of the most important pieces of labor legislation since the National Labor Relations Act of 1935.
When a mass movement of workers comes together, nothing is impossible. Assembly Bill 257, the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act, or FAST Recovery Act, passed the California State Senate last Monday, August 29, 2022. The next day, the California State Assembly re-approved the bill.
After nine months of bargaining and a historic strike, workers at Tenderloin Housing Clinic have ratified a new contract
On Friday, September 2, members of SEIU Local 1021 working at Tenderloin Housing Clinic (THC) voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new contract with management. This ratification comes on the heels of over nine months at the bargaining table, as well as what is believed to be a historic, first-ever strike at a city-funded supportive housing nonprofit.
Theresa Rutherford officially assumes her duties as president of SEIU 1021
This weekend, Theresa Rutherford formally assumed her duties as the new president of SEIU Local 1021. Theresa was appointed to this role by a supermajority vote by the SEIU 1021 Executive Board at their July meeting upon news that previous President Joseph Bryant would be moving on to become executive vice president of SEIU at the international union level.
President Biden’s student loan cancellation is “groundbreaking” for some SEIU 1021 members
Emily Flores works at Oakland’s Highland Hospital as a community health outreach worker in the Care Transitions Program. She helps identify the patients who are most at risk and most in need of help navigating our healthcare system and helps them find resources, programs, and tools to assist them in taking better care of their health. Last week, she got the news that President Joe Biden had taken bold action to address our nation’s student debt crisis.
SEIU 1021 joins Sen. Alex Padilla at a press conference calling for a robust response to the growing monkeypox outbreak
On Thursday, August 25, SEIU 1021 joined US Senator Alex Padilla and San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, along with officials from the California Department of Public Health and San Francisco Department of Public Health, at a press conference to discuss the growing monkeypox outbreak.
Padilla toured San Francisco’s main monkeypox vaccine site at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital as California surpasses 3,000 cases statewide. After the tour, local and state leaders advocated for additional vaccines and equitable distribution throughout California.
Fast-food workers bring the heat to Sacramento, fighting for a FAST Recovery
California is on the verge of transforming how fast-food workers are treated
On a scoring hot day that hit nearly one-hundred ten degrees in Sacramento, fast-food workers, SEIU 1021 members, and community supporters and allies converged upon the state capital. That heat that enveloped Northern California on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, is what fast-food workers face in the kitchens of thirty thousand restauranteurs across California.
Workers in Contra Costa County form a Coalition and Win Big Together!
Workers in nine Contra Costa County unions recently formed a coalition to bargain a new contract with the County. The goal was a fair contract and a solution to the understaffing crisis that left workers burnt out and overworked and left the County unable to deliver valuable services to its residents.
SEIU 1021 and AFT 2121 kick off “Yes on Prop O” campaign
San Francisco City College staff, faculty, students, and other supporters from the community and from a historic labor coalition kicked off the “Yes on O” voter education and mobilization campaign Sunday, August 21. The rally comes on the heels of Measure O qualifying for the November 8 ballot with over 20,000 signatures—well over twice the requirement.
Mendocino County workers fill Board of Supervisors meeting to protest continued inaction
As the Board of Supervisors and county administrators point fingers over budget chaos, county workers continue to provide vital services against impossible odds every day. But how much longer can they wait for solutions to the staffing crisis?
Public disputes among members of the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors and the county administration over the reliability and accuracy of the budget have reached a fever pitch. County workers are still waiting for the Board to take action to protect services amidst a worsening staffing problem. With an overall vacancy rate of 27%, it is clear that the county is very short-staffed – but certain crucial classifications are short by as much as 40 to nearly 70%.
Laguna Honda workers secure an extended pause on patient transfers in their effort to keep the hospital open
This week, workers at San Francisco’s Laguna Honda hospital received good news. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has agreed to extend the pause on patient transfers from Laguna Honda Hospital. This is another huge victory for the safety of our patients and the future of our institution.
Felton Management locks workers outside of building during lunch rally
On August 9, workers marched and rallied at a lunchtime break action outside the Felton Institute’s Family Developmental Center building. Workers were voicing their frustration with management’s unwillingness to negotiate a fair contract with existing members at Felton while also protesting management’s attempts at intimidating the not-yet-union workers attempting to join SEIU 1021.
It’s the final push for a FAST Recovery
Fast-food workers, SEIU Local 1021 members rally at state capital to demand California State Senate passes AB 257 - the FAST Recovery Act
On Tuesday, August 16, 2022, hundreds of fast-food workers rallied at the state capital building in Sacramento and across the city at various fast-food restaurant locations, demanding that California state senators pass the FAST Recovery Act and for California Governor Gavin Newsom to sign it into law.
SFUSD classified staff speak out about broken payroll system
Retirement payments, insurance, overtime, and more continue to be impacted by a faulty system and short-staffing
Pension funds not being deposited into employees’ accounts, forcing some to delay retirement. 401(k) contributions being deducted from paychecks but not deposited into 401(k) accounts. Insurance premiums being deducted from paychecks but not paid to the insurance companies, so that policies are being canceled or are refusing to accept claims without payment. Approved leave not being paid. Overtime not being paid. New hires not receiving their benefits when they reach the date they should. Teachers not getting paid for months.
SEIU 1021 Shows Up to Support Sheng Thao for Oakland Mayor
Oakland is at a political crossroads, with long-time mayor Libby Schaaf not eligible to run again after serving two terms, and three City Council seats up for election in Districts 2, 4 and 6. District 4’s current representative Sheng Thao is running for Mayor, and she kicked off her campaign on Saturday with plenty of support from SEIU 1021.
Historic Inflation Reduction Act passed by US Senate will help working people
This weekend, the US Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act. This bill makes a historic down payment on deficit reduction to fight inflation. It will invest in domestic energy production and manufacturing, as well as reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030.
SEIU 1021 members join SF Labor in condemning Amazon acquisition of One Medical
Wherever voices are being raised to rein in corporate power and stick up for working people, you’ll find SEIU 1021 members. Last week was no different, as hundreds of union members and community activists marched through San Francisco’s financial district to rally outside One Medical’s headquarters to protest their impending acquisition by Amazon, with SEIU 1021’s own Nicole Christian leading the way.
Fast-food workers fight against sexual harassment and for a voice on the job
During the summer of action in the fight for a “fast recovery” for the fast-food industry, workers took action at a Saratoga McDonald’s. A former employee at the Saratoga McDonald’s filed a discrimination complaint against McDonald’s Friday, alleging sexual harassment and wrongful termination. Around thirty members of the Fight for 15 and Union movement held a rally on Thursday, August 4, 2022. The group marched through the store with signs that read “Stop Sexual Harassment.”
SEIU 1021 stands with community members fighting to save Oakland schools
KTVU: Parents still occupying Oakland elementary school after confrontation with guards
For more than two months, a coalition of parents, students, and community members have been engaged in a nonviolent sit-in occupation to save Oakland’s Parker Elementary. On Thursday, the Oakland Unified School District deployed a private security team to forcefully and violently remove the protestors.
Felton workers march to speak out on issues, fight for union
Last Wednesday, July 27, workers at the Felton Institute marched and rallied at a lunchtime break action outside the Felton Institute’s Family Developmental Center building in San Francisco to speak out on the understaffing and burnout issues they are facing.
300 Tenderloin Housing Clinic workers stage a powerful 24-hour strike
Read about our strike in the San Francisco Chronicle and KQED.
Last Wednesday, nearly 300 workers at the Tenderloin Housing Clinic (THC) went out on a 24-hour strike as efforts to secure a new contract with management continue to drag on.
Fast-food workers turn up the heat, fighting for a FAST Recovery
As the heat turns up in fast-food restaurant kitchens across California, so does the fight to pass Assembly Bill 257 in the California State Senate. AB 257 would enact the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act, or FAST Recovery Act.
The bill is a monumental piece of legislation for fast-food workers. It would create a first-of-its-kind industry standards board and give workers a seat at the table with global corporations like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Jack in the Box to set industry-wide standards like wages, benefits, and working conditions.
We fought and we won a temporary suspension of patient transfers at Laguna Honda
The situation regarding Laguna Honda Hospital’s certification status with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has been stressful for us all—patients, staff, and community members alike. After notice had been given that CMS was going to be terminating their Medicare and Medicaid funding, the hospital was required to begin transferring patients. If the hospital failed to begin those transfers right away, they were told their funding would be cut off immediately.
SEIU 1021 Executive Board Votes by Supermajority to Appoint Theresa Rutherford as President
August 22, 2022, SEIU 1021 will welcome our new president, Theresa Rutherford. At the executive board meeting last Saturday, July 23, the board voted by a landslide to appoint the current San Francisco regional vice president to replace the local’s current president, Joseph Bryant, who was elected executive vice president of the SEIU international union last month.
Support Tenderloin Housing Clinic workers heading out on strike
Tenderloin Housing Clinic workers are crucial to keeping San Francisco’s homelessness and supportive housing system functioning. Around 300 people there work as desk clerks, janitors, case workers, maintenance staff, and more at 24 of the city’s single-room occupancy hotels (SROs).
Exploratorium workers showcase their collective power in their fight for a new contract
Congratulations to Exploratorium members who recently ratified a new contract! Management opened negotiations by giving a presentation projecting a five to seven million dollar deficit, but members made it clear that they won’t let the boss balance the budget on their backs.
They instead got organized and brought the fight from the bargaining table to the shop floor to showcase their unity — and it paid off.
City of Oakland members ratify strong tentative agreement with 14% COLA over 3 years
Congratulations to SEIU 1021 members at City of Oakland, who voted by almost 97 percent last week to ratify their tentative agreement, which will provide substantial improvements at a time when city workers need them most.
Why “Staff Up” is the theme of 2022 — and what it means for worker power
If you’ve been following the SEIU 1021 Newswire and/or social media accounts this year, you have undoubtedly noticed a common theme: From San Francisco to Mendocino County to Sacramento City schools, 1021 members are demanding their employers do more to alleviate severe staffing crises that are burning out workers and harming the public services they provide.
With the June primary behind us, we look toward the general election in November and plan to support pro-worker candidates
The work of best representing our members takes place on a number of levels. There are contract negotiations, grievances, and sometimes even strikes. We have legal battles and fights to protect our rights in the courts. We organize new members into the union to protect the standards we set in bargaining and raise the bar for everyone. And then there is politics and the work we do at election time.
STRIKE: Fast-food workers statewide fight to win FAST Recovery Act
On Thursday, June 9, 2022, Fast-food workers across California served up an order or worker rights. From San Diego to Los Angeles and Oakland to Sacramento, fast-food workers walked off the job and into the streets. Their demand? Have California state senators pass Assembly Bill 257 – the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act or FAST Recovery Act, and have Governor Gavin Newsom sign it into law.
Hundreds of Union Members Will Rally for Contra Costa County Services
Join us on Tuesday, June 21 at noon!
Contra Costa County workers have dealt with an epidemic of understaffing for far too long. That’s why a huge union coalition of nine unions—representing more than 6,200 County workers—has rallied across the county’s worksites for weeks to call attention to the staffing crisis and force the Board of Supervisors to take action.
Mendocino County Workers Rally at Board of Supervisors Meeting to Demand Action on Staffing Crisis
Overworked child protective service workers are unable to follow up on reports of abuse and neglect in a timely manner. Public works employees are unable to keep up with important infrastructural work like filling potholes. Eligibility workers are too short-staffed to keep pace with the volume of applications for food stamps and other safety-net services desperately needed in a county with a poverty rate of over 14%. These are the costs to the residents of Mendocino County of the County’s staffing crisis.
Adjunct faculty and lecturers at Santa Clara University will vote on whether to form their union
Adjunct faculty and lecturers at Santa Clara University, a private Jesuit university in Silicon Valley, have been working to organize a non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty union for five years. After years of organizing, adjuncts and lecturers are currently voting in their long-awaited union election. Nevertheless, after years of organizing and union-busting, NTT faculty at Santa Clara are currently voting in their long-awaited union election.
Fast-food workers rallying in Oakland and Sacramento on June 9 for the FAST Recovery Act
Fast-food workers are mobilizing for the first in a series of public events meant to apply pressure on California state senators and the governor to support Assembly Bill 257 - the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act or FAST Recovery Act.
It’s time we fight and win at the ballot box
SEIU Local 1021 members actively participating the political process to win real change in and out of the workplace
To protect our rights, improve our working conditions and quality of life, and better our communities, the candidates we elect and the ballot measures we pass–or reject–matter. That’s especially true when it comes to local and state races. The 2022 statewide and midterm elections are our opportunity to showcase worker power at the ballot box. We have made significant progress over the last two years. Now, we must build upon our advancements.
Zone 7 Water Agency Workers Stick Together and Win!
Workers at the Zone 7 Water Agency are responsible for providing flood protection and safe drinking water for the Livermore-Amador Valley. Recently, their bargaining team, including Tom Hempill, Alfonso Espinoza, and Mike Garguilo, went through wage negotiations with management, securing a three-year deal, with Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) of 6% in the first year, 5% in the second, and 4% in the third. They also proposed doubling the boot allowance to $400 for a number of classifications, but that is still pending a closed session of the Board on June 15.
Clinic workers score big victory as SB 1014 clears state senate
The California state senate passed the bill to increase funding and workers' voice on the job after a successful lobby day SEIU 1021 members took part in
Last Monday, May 23, community clinic workers — including SEIU 1021 members, members of other locals, and unorganized workers from around the state — flooded Sacramento. They spoke with state lawmakers about the importance of community clinics, which care for one out of six Californians and provide both general and specialized care to vulnerable populations. They also shared how chronic underfunding, combined with the stresses of the pandemic, have led to burnout and short-staffing and have harmed patient care.
OUSD members of SEIU 1021 go to Sacramento to advocate for 2 critical education bills
AB 1912 and 1614 would protect schools from predatory loans and closures that disproportionately harm communities of color
Members of SEIU 1021’s Oakland Unified School District chapter headed to Sacramento last Tuesday, May 17, along with members of Oakland Education Association, community allies, and union members from other school districts, including Vallejo, Inglewood, and South Monterey County. They had a very specific mission: advocating for state assemblymembers to support Assembly Bills 1912 and 1614.
“Where will our patients go?” Members vow to do everything possible to save Laguna Honda Hospital
Laguna Honda Hospital is San Francisco’s primary long-term care facility. The hospital provides San Franciscans with a complete continuum of care, including skilled nursing, rehabilitation, AIDS care, dementia services, hospice and acute care, as well as an adult day health care center and a senior nutrition program. It’s a remarkably unique facility, unlike virtually any other long-term care facility in the United States.
Mullissa Willette wins CalPERS Board of Administration race
In a win for workers across California, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) Board of Administration adds another working-class voice to its ranks. Mullissa Willette, a tax exemption investigator for the Santa Clara County Assessor’s Office and the First Vice-President of SEIU Local 521, won the Special Public Agency Member Election with 7,972 votes, or 62.15 percent of the vote. The new term of office begins immediately upon certification of the official election results by the Secretary of State and will expire on January 15, 2027.
We’re going to fight like hell to save Laguna Honda Hospital
Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), who provide the vast majority of our funding, have conducted site visits and an investigation into a number of on-site infractions. As a result, the hospital is required to implement a Closure and Patient Transfer and Relocation Plan while we all continue to work towards recertification.
The Leaked Roe v. Wade Opinion Must Be Our Call to Action
By Theresa Rutherford, SEIU 1021 Vice President for San Francisco and Certified Nursing Assistant
I wish I could say I was shocked by this week’s news of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. I am a lot of things: I am angry, I am upset, I am heartbroken, I am afraid, I am outraged—but I am not shocked.
Celebrate Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Saturday, May 7, 2022, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Madison Square Park, 810 Jackson Street, Oakland
This Saturday, May 7, please come celebrate Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month with us at Madison Square Park (810 Jackson St., Oakland, near Lake Merritt BART Station). The theme this year is “Women Rising: Strengthening and Connecting Our Communities”, and there will be a speaking program, resources and information, a children’s area, and a free vaccine clinic.
Vaccine Clinic:
In Alameda County, Management Says “Heroes Work Here” but They Aren’t Acting Like It
On Tuesday, April 26, hundreds of SEIU 1021 members from across Alameda County rallied outside a closed session of the Board of Supervisors to call for the sacrifices of members to be honored. The pandemic has led to an increased need for the vital services that frontline workers provide. Whether we’re called “public servants,” “disaster workers,” or “heroes,” it’s clear that we deserve recognition and that the County must invest in and reward its dedicated workforce.
Thousands of union members march on SF City Hall in honor of International Workers’ Day
The 2022 May Day march recreated the 1934 march down Market Street
On Sunday May 1, thousands of workers from around the Bay Area marched down Market Street from Embarcadero to San Francisco’s Civic Center to commemorate International Workers’ Day in a recreation of the famous 1934 May Day March. The march, which was sponsored by several Bay Area labor councils, concluded with a rally at City Hall.
Contra Costa County workers march on Board of Supervisors to fight understaffing
On Tuesday, April 26, 2202, Contra Costa County workers urged the Board of Supervisors to address Contra Costa’s staffing crisis, as hundreds of workers marched to the Board of Supervisors Administration Building during the regularly scheduled Board meeting. The march included workers who staff the public hospital, clinics, and COVID test sites and workers who maintain the County’s streets, safeguard the environment, and keep the libraries and courts open.
SF nonprofit workers fight for increased funding for services and pay parity for their work
As many of San Francisco’s nonprofit union workers get set to bargain new contracts this year, a unifying problem is emerging across employers and worksites—we need a greater investment in services provided, and we need pay parity between nonprofit and public workers providing similar services.
Sac City Schools Staff Vote by 99.8% to Ratify New Contract
Sacramento City Unified School District classified staff – including school bus drivers, nutrition service workers, instructional aides, custodians, and clerical staff – have voted by over 99% to ratify the tentative agreement they reached April 4 following a strike that shut down schools for eight days.
The agreement, which must be approved by the SCUSD Board of Education, contains significant victories, including:
Adjunct Faculty and Lecturers at Beloved Silicon Valley Institution Santa Clara University File for a Union Election with the National Labor Relations Board
Media Contact: Chris Flink, chris.flink at seiu1021.org, 510.701.9637
The rising tide of unionization comes to higher education in Silicon Valley, hoping to help fix the “gig-ification” of being a college professor.
Santa Clara, California — On Friday, April 22, 2022, adjunct faculty members and lecturers at Santa Clara University (SCU) filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), requesting a formal election process to found a union at SCU. The adjuncts and lecturers have been organizing the union since 2017.
Gig workers speak out about new Uber, Lyft policy making face masks optional
With zero worker input, Uber and Lyft have now made wearing face masks optional for riders and drivers. The ride-hailing companies announced the new policy unilaterally last week, shortly after several significant airlines announced a similar change in policy. The changes come after a federal judge struck down the Biden administration’s mask mandate for airplanes and other public transport methods.
The election is on! Mullissa Willette, the First Vice President of SEIU Local 521, is the choice for public-sector workers.
This year, workers whose retirement benefits are governed by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System will have an opportunity to vote for a new member of the Board of Administration. This is a crucial election, as Board members are responsible for setting employer contribution rates, determining investment asset allocations, providing actuarial valuations, and much more.
Statement from Theresa Rutherford, SEIU 1021 VP of San Francisco, on recent developments at Laguna Honda Hospital
The following statement can be attributed to Theresa Rutherford, a Certified Nursing Assistant at Laguna Honda Hospital who is the elected Vice President of San Francisco for SEIU 1021:
City of Hayward Workers Form a Bold Citywide Coalition and Win a Strong Contract for SEIU 1021 Members and Many Others
January 10, 2022: City of Hayward workers came into their latest contract campaign knowing things had to change. The City had allowed some workers to fall behind. In years past, management had even imposed onerous, unfair contract terms on its workforce—a move which was later reversed by a Public Employment Relations Board judge, but which showed clearly their lack of respect for and understanding of the City’s workers.
Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District Workers Finally Win a Strong New Contract
The workers of Contra Costra County’s Mosquito and Vector Control District recently voted unanimously to ratify their hard-won new contract, bringing a long campaign to an end. The new three-year contract includes a 1.5% raise and $1,600 signing bonus in the first year, with raises in the second and third years based on the published Consumer Price Index, with a 1% minimum and 4% maximum, to keep these workers from falling behind. The unit’s seasonal aides also received an additional $3 per hour.
“There’s Nowhere to Live Here”
SEIU 1021 Mendocino County chapters release report addressing Mendocino County’s housing crisis causes, offering recommendations
Dec. 20, 2021: “I can think of a half a dozen employees that the County has offered jobs to here on the coast, but they had to turn down the offer, because they couldn’t find anywhere to live,” reported one Mendocino County employee in a survey. “The average apartment rents for about $1200 to $1300 per month. The rental agency requires your income to be three times the rent. I make around $35 per hour, and I can’t even afford that. How is someone who makes minimum wage or is a single parent supposed to find a place to live?” laments another survey respondent.
SEIU Local 1021 President Joseph Bryant’s Statement on the Acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse
November 19, 2021: Oakland, California — Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1021 President Joseph Bryant issued the following statement after jurors acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse of the murder of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber. Rittenhouse shot and killed Rosenbaum and Huber, who were protesting the shooting of Jacob Blake by the Kenosha Police Department in Kenosha, Wisconsin:
OUSD Chapter OSEA/OCDPA Chapter Elections
Dear SEIU Local 1021 Member,
This letter serves the purpose to inform you that the Oakland
Unified School District Chapter will be conducting Chapter
Officer Elections.
Here is the timeline for nominations and election of Chapter
Officers:
Senate Committee Listens to Tenants, Moves Crucial Housing Justice Legislation Forward
Sacramento, CA – The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California released the following statement from Bruce Boyer, a member of SEIU Local 1021 and Campus Monitor at Will C. Wood Middle School in Sacramento, after the Senate Judiciary Committee passed AB 1482 by Assembly member David Chiu (D-San Francisco). The legislation would protect working families struggling to keep their homes by preventing landlords from rent gouging and requiring landlords to have just cause to evict tenants.
Senate Committee Listens to Tenants, Moves Crucial Housing Justice Legislation Forward
Sacramento, CA – The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California released the following statement from Bruce Boyer, a member of SEIU Local 1021 and Campus Monitor at Will C. Wood Middle School in Sacramento, after the Senate Judiciary Committee passed AB 1482 by Assembly member David Chiu (D-San Francisco). The legislation would protect working families struggling to keep their homes by preventing landlords from rent gouging and requiring landlords to have just cause to evict tenants.
Workers Take Action to Stop Harassment and Discrimination
On March 7, more than 1,000 San Francisco workers and community
allies protested in front of the headquarters of the SF Municipal
Transportation Agency and the city’s Human Resources Department
to demand City Administrators take immediate action to stop
sexual harassment and end gender discrimination across city
departments.
The rally comes after city ombudsman Dolores Blanding
released a report detailing allegations of bullying, verbal
abuse, discrimination, and sexual harassment within city
departments.
Oakland Teachers Ratify a Contract and End Historic 7-Day Strike
On Sunday, March 3rd, members of Oakland Educators Association (OEA) voted to approve a contract that gets teachers on the path to better raises and smaller class sizes. The contract ratification ended a 7-day strike that united the community.
Teachers, classified workers, and students continue to speak out against the District’s cuts to programs and staff. Hundreds of students, joined by community allies, filled the Board meeting on March 4th.
Workers Take to the Streets to Disrupt Inequality
Across the country, workers are rising up to hold leaders and corporations to account for starving and dismantling public services and public school districts. In Northern California, our members in San Francisco and Oakland have taken to the streets tofight for working families and our communities.
Highland Hospital Nurse at Tonight’s State of the Union Address
SEIU 1021 member and Highland oncology nurse Maria
Mendoza Sanchez will join Congress tonight at the State of the
Union address . In 2017 Maria was deported by the Trump
administration and torn away from her children. After a grueling
time in Mexico, she applied for a skilled worker visa, and was
recently accepted for return home to the United States.
Oakland Congresswoman Barbara Lee invited Maria to be her guest
at tonight’s address to bring to light the negative impact of the
Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies.
Mendocino College Workers Stand Up for Community Needs Over Administrators’ Greed
Top college district administrators keep wages down, while inflating their own salaries.
On January 24, Mendocino Lake Community College District (MLCCD)
Classified and Temporary workers picketed at the college campus
in Ukiah to protest unnecessary takeaways, including
workers’ ability to use earned time off in cases of extended
illness or injury.
Top administrators have inflated their own salaries while
trying to hold down wages for faculty and staff, and
replace good jobs with temporary positions
that lack benefits.
Santa Clara University Faculty and Allies Rally Outside the Golden Circle Fundraiser to say “Let Us Unionize. Let us Vote!”
On January 19, 2019 at the San Jose Center for Performing Arts,more than 100 faculty, students and community supporters were outside the black-tie Golden Circle fundraiser in support of SCU adjuncts and lecturers voting on whether or not to join together in a union.
Why We March on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
On Monday, January 21, all across the country, thousands are
expected to march in commemoration of civil rights leader Martin
Luther King Jr. In San Francisco, City and county workers will
join the march to honor Dr. King’s legacy and to continue his
fight for justice for all.
WHAT: Erase Racism March
TIME: Meet at 10 a.m.
Stopping Threats to Healthcare and Social Services Programs
Newly-Proposed Public Charge Rule Change Targets Working Families and Low Income Immigrants
On September 27, Asian Health Services workers joined community leaders to condemn the newly-proposed public charge rule that would make it impossible for working people and low-income immigrants who participate in healthcare and social services programs to receive a green card.
Stand With Santa Clara University Adjunct Faculty and Lecturers
Fall classes at Santa Clara University (SCU) start this week, and
faculty and students are ramping up their organizing efforts.
They’re urging Father Engh, the president of Santa Clara
University, and the Board of Trustees to reverse their decision
denying faculty a free and fair process to unionize.
Rise Like the Phoenix: Our 2018 Member Convention
More than 600 member leaders convened in Concord on the weekend of September 22-23 for our member convention to chart the course for the future of our union and to hear from inspiring speakers on how we must transform and innovate to thrive during challenging times.
Providing Relief During the Mendocino Complex Fires
On July 27, Brian Klovski got a call from his boss that a
mandatory evacuation was in place due to a massive wildfire, and
it was spreading fast. “We train throughout the year to prepare
for calls like that. Within hours, we got to work to
help evacuees displaced by the Mendocino Complex Fires with
temporary shelter.”
Brian works for the Health and Human Services Department helping
coordinate homeless services throughout the Mendocino County.
During a countywide disaster, he leads the Mendocino County Care
and Shelter Team.
Federal Court Sides with Workers and Immigrants in Legal Action Against Trump Threat to Withhold Funding
Executive Order To Withhold Funding From "Sanctuary Cities" Ruled Unconstitutional
Last week, a federal court ruled that President Trump’s Executive Order threatening to withhold funding from “sanctuary cities” is unconstitutional. The City of San Francisco filed a lawsuit against the Executive Order and SEIU 1021 members filed a formal brief in support of the lawsuit.
Fairmont Workers Stand Up for Patient Care
AHS tried to force RNs, LVNs, and CNAs at the Fairmont Skilled
Nursing Facility to do a Schedule Rebid. Management’s plan
included a reduction in total patient care hours, and would
turn many full-time workers into part-time or
temporary. Today members at the Fairmont Skilled
Nursing Facility protested the rebid and many workers
refused to sign on to the scheme to cut care and cut worker
hours.
SEIU California Ballot Measure Endorsements:
To Increase Affordable Housing Opportunities, Members Say: YES on 2 and 10 and NO on 5
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in California today announced its positions on ballot measures for the November 2018 General Election. The 700,000 member organization of California’s working people took the following positions:
Proposition 2: YES
Proposition 5: NO
Proposition 6: NO
Proposition 8: YES
Proposition 9: NO
Proposition 10: YES
Proposition 11: NO
Solidarity and Member-Led Actions Lead to Greater Safety Measures at the City of Berkeley
After a tremendous show of solidarity from their fellow City of Berkeley coworkers, community leaders, and members of other unions, a citywide strike was averted in the late hours of Friday, June 15.
Days leading up to their contract expiration, Berkeley workers held actions almost every day, often drawing hundreds of workers and their families to rallies. From solid waste workers, analysts, parking enforcement officers, clerical staff to librarians and public nurses, workers came out in full force and assembled picket signs in the city hall lobby. They brought together local elected leaders, members from IBEW, AFSCME 3299, Local 1, and IAFF 1277, and fellow SEIU 1021 members from other chapters to join them in a fight for a fair and equitable contract.
Berkeley Citywide Strike Looms
To Date, More than 900 City of Berkeley Workers Have Authorized A Strike
(Berkeley, CA)—More than 400 hundred Berkeley city workers voted to authorize a strike if city administrators fail to reach an agreement with clerical and maintenance workers over safer working conditions and cost-of-living allowances. More than 400 librarians, public nurses, mental health professionals, and city planners and attorneys represented by SEIU 1021 voted on June 14 to join clerical and maintenance workers in a strike if necessary.
We Won’t Be Divided by Billionaire Bullies
Bay Area Elected Leaders Pledge Support for Working Families Against Billionaire-Backed Assault
A Lesson from West Virginia
West Virginia teachers have shown that despite the failure of politicians to protect the rights of working people to organize, working people standing together are unstoppable. Striking teachers have shown that no court case or legislation can stop the power of solidarity and the willingness to stand up for justice.
West Virginia is among the handful of “right to work-for less” states, a fate that may soon be shared by California after the Supreme Court rules on Janus v AFSCME.
From the Bargaining Table to County Government: Ben Stopper Working Tirelessly For Greater Funding of Public Services
1021 member Ben Stopper decided to run for political office when arts and music programs at his kids’ schools were being cut. The longtime Calavares County resident is running for County Board of Supervisor to represent the District 5 communities of Milton, Jenny Lind, and Rancho Calaveras.
Standing Strong for Environmental Justice
Supporters of social and economic justice have been on high alert since the election, beating back attacks on our civil rights and civil liberties as well as attempts to dismantle our education and healthcare systems. But extremists in Washington also have the environment in their crosshairs, and working people need to join together to protect our water, our air, and our health against corporations who are putting profits over people.
Workers Demand Union City Council Invest in City Workers
Public Works, Parks and Recreation department workers and their families sent a clear message to Union City Council on July 25, invest in our community, and invest in city workers. With the cost of living too high for many workers and families, and City revenue strong, Union City Council has a responsibility to invest in its workers. “Members want to put a face to the budget process so that Union City leaders are held accountable at the bargaining table,” said William Bontadelli, from Public Works/Ground.
SEIU 1021 Members Join Thousands To Rally Against Hate In Berkeley
BERKELEY,CA — City of Berkeley employees and other city, county, schools, healthcare, and nonprofit workers from throughout Northern California joined thousands at the peaceful, non-violent Rally Against Hate on August 27. The rally stage was surrounded by thousands of students, teachers, seniors, and working families rallying to protest against far-right extremists, the white nationalist rally at Berkeley City Hall, and the wave of anti-immigrant federal policies.
Stand Up for Strong Unions
The American Dream is based on the promise that if you work hard, you’ll be able to provide for yourself and your family. It’s the promise that we’d be able to provide opportunities for our children that weren’t available to us.
Our Retirement, Our Planet
Jan. 24 SF Retirement Board Feels the Heat from City Workers and the Public
Members of SEIU 1021’s Environment Justice Workgroup joined over 100 people from community groups and other unions at the January 24 SF Retirement Board meeting. Together we urged the Board to invest our retirement funds responsibly.
The Board did not vote for full divestment with a time deadline from coal, oil and gas investments, instead voting for “engagement” and a “phased divestment” of our retirement from the riskiest and dirtiest funds.
A Lesson from West Virginia
West Virginia teachers have shown that despite the failure of politicians to protect the rights of working people to organize, working people standing together are unstoppable. Striking teachers have shown that no court case or legislation can stop the power of solidarity and the willingness to stand up for justice.
West Virginia is among the handful of “right to work-for less” states, a fate that may soon be shared by California after the Supreme Court rules on Janus v AFSCME.
More than 2,200 City of Oakland Workers Represented by SEIU 1021 Ratify Contract with the City of Oakland
Bringing more than ten months of bargaining to a close, the Oakland City workers represented by SEIU Local 1021 ratified a two-year contract with the City of Oakland on Friday, February 23.
With provisions that increase worker safety, provide cost of living adjustments, and address the working conditions of police and fire communications dispatchers, the contract takes steps to improve public services to Oakland residents and businesses.
More than 2,200 City of Oakland workers ratify contract with the City of Oakland
Bringing more than ten months of bargaining to a close, the Oakland City workers represented by SEIU Local 1021 ratified a two-year contract with the City of Oakland on Friday, February 23.
With provisions that increase worker safety, provide cost of living adjustments, and address the working conditions of police and fire communications dispatchers, the contract takes steps to improve public services to Oakland residents and businesses.
Workers Rally to Proclaim: “No Corporate-Funded Case Can Hold Us Down. We’re Sticking with Our Union”
February 26, 2018, the Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments in the Janus vs. AFSCME case: this case was funded and brought before the court as yet another attempt by the 1% to rig the economy completely in their favor.
Investing in Early Childhood Educators is Good Practice – and Good Policy
For Head Start substitute teacher, Claudia Campbell, going back to school to get her degree seemed impossible:
“I’ve had my own children, and have taken care of others, but I’ve never had the education behind it,” Campbell said.
That is until the SEIU Early Educator Training Center, SEIU Local 1021, and the YMCA of the East Bay joined together to create an apprenticeship program that supports and uplifts Early Childhood Educators.
Investing in Early Childhood Educators is Good Practice – and Good Policy
For Head Start substitute teacher, Claudia Campbell, going back to school to get her degree seemed impossible:
“I’ve had my own children, and have taken care of others, but I’ve never had the education behind it,” Campbell said.
That is until the SEIU Early Educator Training Center, SEIU Local 1021, and the YMCA of the East Bay joined together to create an apprenticeship program that supports and uplifts Early Childhood Educators.
Become an SEIU 1021 Convention Delegate
The SEIU 1021 Convention will be held in Concord, CA September 22-23, 2018.
We are beginning the process of choosing convention delegates to represent chapters. Elections will take place through June 20th.
Healthcare Costs Are Killing Wages
Join us for a rally and hearing to call out greedy hospitals and prescription drug companies. The fightback to protect affordable healthcare continues!
We’re Stronger Together, When We Join Together
Recent weeks have brought us terrible news of the full on legal assault on some of workers’ recent major victories, but as we say farewell to 2017 we move forward to 2018 with the knowledge and rich history of working people winning over seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Last Chance to Stop the Tax Scam!
The House of Representatives must vote again on the tax bill after several provisions were found to violate Senate rules. Congress is scheduled to bring the tax bill to a vote again tomorrow. It’s not too late to place a call and help put a stop to this tax scam.
Don’t let them rig the system in favor of the wealthiest Americans.
Call 866-426-2631 and you will be patched through to a member of Congress.
Workers Across the Country Tell Congress NO! to the GOP Tax Scheme
Pictured: Head Start Site Director Birdie Winrow, and Head Start staff members, calling Congress to oppose the tax scheme.
The current tax legislation making its way through Congress is picking up more resistance every day. As people find out the details of who benefits, and who will lose out if this passes, they are opposing the legislation strongly.
Rent Control for All. Repeal Costa Hawkins!
The movement for tenants’ rights and housing justice is growing every day in California. A few weeks ago renters met in Alameda for a historic assembly, California Renter Power where over 400 renters, organizers, and advocates met and strategized how to build an unstoppable statewide movement for Housing Justice and against gentrification.
California Values Act Signed into Law
Last week California became a “sanctuary” state, when community groups, labor unions, and human rights activists successfully pushed Gov. Brown into signing SB 54 into law.
‘We Stopped Them’
Latest Effort to Repeal the Affordable Care Act fails and millions will keep coverage, thanks to the actions of workers
Federal Budget Cuts Impact Local Jobs and Services
Tomorrow people across the country are calling Congress to demand they reject a disastrous budget that funds major tax cuts for greedy corporations by cutting valuable programs.
Let’s tell Congress that we want more than a rigged budget that puts billionaires and greedy corporations ahead of our families. Call your member of Congress to fight back against hurtful federal budget cuts.
Reclaiming Labor Day
Despite attacks by corporations and self-interested politicians, union power is continuing to raise pay and amplifying working people’s voice on the job and in their communities.
Marching in downtown Oakland, adjunct professor and Dominican University member leader Robin McClosky proclaimed, “We’re here because of the men and women who made heroic sacrifices so that we can enjoy the rights we have today. Unions are facing steep challenges, and it’s up to us to make sure that those sacrifices weren’t for nothing.”
Workers Save Westside Community HIV/AIDS Program — Layoff Notices Rescinded
On August 1, SEIU 1021 members working at Westside Community Services HIV/AIDS program were shocked to receive layoff notices for the end of the month. For three decades the AIDS Case Management program has provided in-home services for clients, many with multiple diagnoses. The in-home care not only saved money, but also provided a better quality of life for clients who might otherwise be housed in expensive facilities, or even worse – on the street.
VICTORY in Our Fight for Health Care Justice
After months of pressure from SEIU members across the country, hundreds of allied organizations, and thousands of individuals of all political persuasions, the effort in Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act failed late Thursday night.
AB 1250 Passes Out of Senate Committee
Excellent advocacy work was done in Sacramento by our members as well as SEIU 521, 721 and 221 to move our bill limiting contracting out of public services out of the Senate Governance and Finance Committee.
Members have been working in Sacramento to pass this bill to hold counties and private contractors accountable to the public.
Richmond Passes $15 Minimum Wage Ordinance
SEIU 1021 members showed up in force at the Richmond City Council meeting on July 11th to advocate passing a $15 minimum wage ordinance. After hearing from our members and other individuals who testified, the Richmond City Council unanimously supported an ordinance to increase the city’s minimum wage.
Notre Dame de Namur faculty win historic, wall-to-wall first contract
Faculty at Notre Dame de Namur (NDNU) University in Belmont, Calif., have ratified a first contract that wins better pay, job security for part-time adjunct professors and protects shared governance. The historic agreement covers all contingent faculty who won their union through the National Labor Relations Board process and tenure-track, and tenured faculty, including department chairs. The combined units cover more than 250 faculty.
Climate Reality: How letting climate deniers make the rules will cost working people
Many people think of shrinking ice caps and disappearing rain forests when they hear the terms “environmental justice” and “climate justice.” But the reality of environmental devastation is much closer to home for many working people: Decades of corporations running roughshod over our land, water and air in the name of profit have left a toxic wake that disproportionately harms poor communities and communities of color.
SEIU Local 1021: On the Front Lines Against Homelessness, Not the Homeless
Driven by skyrocketing housing costs and cuts to public services, Oakland’s housing and homelessness crisis continues to worsen. City of Oakland SEIU Local 1021 members have been told to clean up homeless encampments, where they’ve encountered unsafe working conditions. These conditions include hypodermic needles and human waste and even threats of violence.
People’s Climate March Bay Area
SEIU 1021 members joined a crowd of a couple thousand people gathered at Lake Merritt in Oakland on a beautiful sunny Saturday, April 29, 2017, to urge the Trump administration to take the threat of climate change seriously. It was a truly striking moment of unity, organized by the People’s Climate Movement for Justice, Jobs, Peace and the Planet and was endorsed by SEIU 1021, the Alameda Central Labor Council, and 75 organizations working on behalf of environmental, economic, and social justice.
House Votes to Cut Taxes the Super-Rich, Raise Premiums, and Kill Healthcare for Millions
First and foremost, nothing has happened. There are no changes to the Affordable Care Act. Yet. There is no new law yet. Not until the Senate passes their own bill, and the president signs something.
But SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN. Just not yet. The House has adopted a new bill, by 2 votes – including a “yes” vote by every single California Republican– nd the Senate will adopt its own version. The only thing we know for sure is that the Senate version will be different from the House version because the Senate and the House always differ on any major legislation.
Corruption and Mismanagement at SF Museums Spark Demands by City Workers for Independent Oversight Committee
City Workers and Museum Patrons Call for Action to Stop Abuse and Corruption
Security guards,and admission attendants who are SEIU 1021 members at the Asian Art Museum, de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor, testified on Friday about the rampant abuse and corruption by board members and top executives at the Fine Arts Museum (FAM) and the Corporation of Fine Arts Museums (COFAM). Their testimonies detailed financial mismanagement, lack of transparency, and unsafe working conditions at FAM and COFAM at the Government Audit Oversight Committee.
We Rise Up and Unite for Immigrant and Worker Rights on International Workers’ Day
SEIU 1021 members from across Northern California joined May Day actions in Santa Rosa, San Francisco and Oakland in a defiant and joyous celebration of the power of working people and the resilience of immigrant communities.
Take Action on International Workers’ Day
On International Workers’ Day, we honor the sacrifices workers and immigrants have made in the fight for justice.
Seize this moment in history. Demonstrate the strength of working people standing together. Show that we’re ready to defend worker and immigrant rights against fear and hate and that we have the power to stand up to the threats facing working families and our communities.
By building a mass movement in the streets that unites all of our struggles, we can win our fight for justice and dignity.
Bay Area Workers Urge Federal Judge to Rule Quickly to Protect Local Services from Illegal Trump “Sanctuary City” Order
San Francisco Federal Court is First to Hear Challenge to Hear Challenge to Trump Order Against Communities that Embrace Immigrants
SEIU 1021 members at SF Art Institute Win First-Ever Union Contract
San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) adjunct professors ratified their first union contract on March 30. The professors joined Local 1021 in 2014 to seek a voice on the job, collective bargaining rights and compensation commensurate with their contribution to the art institution.
The three-year agreement makes significant progress in job security, and the recruitment and retention of quality professors. Students will benefit too as their professors now enjoy the prospect of long-term, stable employment.
California College of the Arts Adjunct Faculty Ratify First Contract
After nearly three years of organizing and more than forty bargaining sessions, adjunct faculty represented by SEIU Local 1021 have ratified a first union contract covering nearly 500 adjuncts at California College of the Arts (CCA) in San Francisco and Oakland.
United We Stand
Last fall’s election served as a wake-up call to millions of working people nationwide whose previous political activity began and ended with voting. But with the new and unprecedented threats to economic stability, health care, civil rights and civil liberties of the vast majority of the country, citizen activists are rising up to resist the repressive changes coming from Washington.
SEIU Member, Detained and Disenfranchised, With Immigration Executive Order
Dr. Kamal Fadlalla, a second-year resident physician and member of SEIU’s Committee of Interns and Residents, is one of thousands of immigrant Americans who have been disenfranchised by President Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant Executive Order.
Our First Stand: Protect Access to Affordable Healthcare
Last week Congress took the first steps to strip Medi-Cal from millions, hike taxes on middle-class families and workers who buy insurance through the federal exchange, and to stick seniors with soaring prescription drug costs. And they voted set up a process to cut protections for patients with pre-existing conditions, contraceptive coverage, allowing children on their parents plan until age 26 and more.
Not backing down on economic justice
Our members join hundreds at SFO as the Fight for $15 movement declares “Poverty Doesn’t Fly”
Victory at Standing Rock
In a stunning victory for the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and the indigenous rights and environmental justice movement, the federal government halted the Dakota Access Pipeline project. News of the victory arrived just one day before deadline for demonstrators occupying the North Dakota site to evacuate or face forcible eviction.
The Army Corps of Engineers on Sunday, Dec. 4 announced it would instead conduct an environmental impact review of the 1,170-mile pipeline project and determine if there are other ways to route it to avoid a crossing on the Missouri River.
Artists and alumni demand California College of the Arts embrace job security and living wages in the adjunct union contract
Alumni asked to withhold financial support
At the California College of Arts Alumni Weekend Saturday and Sunday Nov. 12 and 13, adjunct faculty and their student supporters took the extreme step of asking alumni to withhold giving donations to the college until a fair contract is reached.
Labor Stands with Standing Rock
Hundreds of Bay Area unionists turned out in Oakland Thursday, November 10 in solidiarity with the Standing Rock Sioux and their fight to stop the completion of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). Members of the Tribes have camped out at a pipeline construction site in North Dakota since August. SEIU 1021 was among the 25 local unions that co-sponsored the event, including the California Nurses Association (CNA) and unions united in the Alameda Labor Council.
Throw Back to the 16th Century, Professors March on the NDNU President and Hand Her a 30 ft. Petition
Nearly 30 Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) faculty members, dressed in their academic robes, marched to university president Judith Maxwell Greig’s office Oct. 25, and unfurled a 30ft. scrolled petition containing more than 300 signatures in favor of rescinding the proposed cuts. The campus has been entangled in controversy sparked by president’s unilateral decision to eliminate 10 graduate and undergraduate programs.
Why we do politics
A Message from SEIU 1021’s Executive Board
The struggle for the rights of working people happens on many levels. There is organizing and the hard work of bringing new members into the union. There are contract negotiations and sometimes, strikes. There are shop stewards and union staff who make sure contracts are enforced. There are legal battles and fights to protect our rights in the courts.
Fake accounts and accountability: Wells Fargo and the public hospital
Published in 48 Hills
In late 2015, a sign mysteriously appeared on the outside of San Francisco General Hospital dubbing the area in front of the main entrance “Wells Fargo Plaza.” This move by a public hospital to honor an international banking and financial services company was made without the knowledge or consent of San Francisco residents.
Student voices at Notre Dame De Namur
Students and faculty members have joined forces to launch a public and campus-wide campaign to rescind the cuts:
“We’re in a really painful situation right now,” said Kim Tolley, faculty senate president and director of NDNU’s Master of Arts in Education program told the San Mateo Journal. “I suspect that it is [related to negotiations], just because the cuts are so draconian and so extensive. It’s just caused a lot of chaos among the faculty.”
Non-Ranked Faculty at California College of the Arts use their talents to turn job insecurity into art
Transforming conflict into art is what artists do, and adjunct faculty at California College of the Arts (CCA) have embarked upon a project that combines the disciplines of memoir, visual arts and bookbinding to create a powerful statement about the precarious nature of their profession.
Faculty Protests Broad Cuts in Graduate and Undergraduate Programs at Notre Dame de Namur
NDNU executives have unilaterally cut and overhauled programs that have resulted in upheaval on campus; the faculty union filed an unfair labor practice charge.
Community prods Santa Rosa City Council to support rent control
The housing crisis that began in San Francisco several years ago and spread to the East Bay, has moved north to Sonoma County. And with it so has a collective resistance to the speculation and greed pricing people out of the communities they have long lived and worked in.
ART PROFESSORS TO ART COLLEGE PRESIDENTS: YOU FAIL!
Adjunct professors and community allies warn art students and scholars that job security at CCA and SFAI is non-existent and that compensation for college art adjunct professors is under the poverty line.
Historic first contract for Dominican University Adjunct Faculty
After marathon final bargaining session — that took a whopping 10 hours — resulted in a historic first contract for the Dominican University Adjunct Faculty. The next step is to present it to our members for an up or down ratification vote to take place very soon.
Significant Gains
· One-to-three year teaching contracts with a predicted course load based on average courses taught, and a transparent, seniority-based, enforceable system for assigning courses.
SEIU 1021 members join statewide fight for $15 minimum wage, affordable housing
The meteoric success of the Fight For 15 has been eye-opening, exposing its limitations. While a bigger paycheck lifts a family up, if the cost of living, particularly housing, goes through the roof, it negates the gain.
MILLS’ ADJUNCT PROFESSORS WIN FIRST EVER CONTRACT; INCLUDES BEST IN THE NATION JOB PROTECTIONS
(Oakland, CA) – Mills College adjunct professors ratified their first ever three-year agreement on Friday, March 18. The new agreement makes significant progress in job security, recruitment & retention of quality professors, and fair compensation.
Among the major gains in the three-year contract:
Secure Choice Board hearings pit big business against … everyone
With the fate of millions of California seniors, now and into the next few decades, hanging in the balance, a state board heard hours of testimony March 1 and 3 before having to gather the political will and decide how – or even whether – to build new paths to retirement with dignity
“When I retire, I hope…”
California is facing a retirement crisis, prompting labor, senior, and community groups to gather in Sacramento Oct. 15 to define the problem, analyze its details and seek solutions.
SF Superior Court workers strike for justice
Picket lines went up at all three of the San Francisco court sites — the Civic Center Courthouse (CCC), the Hall of Justice (HoJ) and the Juvenile Justice Center(JJC) — at 6:30 am. As workers arrived in the morning, they were greeted by chanting people in purple. Even court reporters and court interpreters, members of other unions, joined the line.
Chief Shop Steward Gary Feliciano emphasized that this was a ULP strike because management had so blatantly broken labor law in negotiations.
SEIU 1021 Members Testify to Workers’ Rights Board about Impact of Adjunct Faculty Working Conditions on Higher Education
SAN FRANCISCO–Wednesday, September 9, about 100 people gathered at the St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in the Mission District for a Workers’ Rights Board Hearing on the future of higher education in San Francisco. Faculty and students from the California State University, City College of San Francisco and three SEIU 1021 members from San Francisco Art Institute testified to the poor and declining pay and working conditions within their institutions and the higher education system as a whole.
Alameda Health System Members Win Big for Healthcare Community
SEIU 1021 members at Highland Hospital, community advocates and patients of the Substance Abuse Treatment center are celebrating the decision by Alameda Health System (AHS) Administrators to keep the doors of the treatment center open.
The notice came on the heels of a series of concerted actions to highlight the value of the center and the impact the closure would have on families throughout Alameda County.
Marriage equality ruling advances justice
In response to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v.Hodges, SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry issued the following statement:
“Justice and equality are at cornerstones of our union and of the labor movement, but more than that, they are at the heart of the American promise. Today, the Supreme Court advanced justice by settling the debate over marriage equality, once and for all.
Contingent Faculty at St. Mary’s College Win Important Agreement During First Contract Negotiations Regarding Unemployment Insurance Claims
Some of SEIU 1021’s newest members, contingent faculty at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, have long been faced with a yearly conundrum–the same faced by so many college faculty nationwide. When classes let out for summer, they often are faced with unemployment over the summer, and an uncertain future in the fall. Since adjunct contracts are almost always contingent upon funding, enrollment or program changes, they typically can be changed up until the day classes start–and sometimes even after that.
SFERS moves toward fossil fuel divestment
At the urging of SEIU 1021 members, local environmentalists and the Board of Supervisors, the trustees of the San Francisco city workers’ pension fund moved a step closer towards divesting it of money in climate-changing fossil fuel industries. It also moved the city unions closer to investing their retirement savings with social responsibility, to use their collective money for the good of workers and the world.
ADJUNCT FACULTY, STUDENTS, LOW-WAGE WORKERS, ACTIVISTS AND ARTISTS UNITE FOR ART & EDUCATION JUSTICE FESTIVAL
Sunday, March 8, hundreds of adjunct professors, students, artists, low-wage workers, activists and artists joined forces at the Lab in San Francisco for No Justice No Service: Bay Area Art and Education Justice Festival.
SEIU 1021 Members March Against Fracking at the March for Real Climate Leadership
Last December, Bay Area workers, union organizers, and labor leaders toured several communities in the Central Valley impacted by fracking. What we witnessed was horrifying: fracking wells near agricultural fields, community gardens and elementary schools, poisoning the air and water of working class and immigrant communities, causing an epidemic of asthma and cancer.
Oakland Fast Food Workers Strike as Fight for $15 and Union Rights Intensifies
Thousands walk off their jobs in 150 cities, calling for higher pay, union rights
Oakland fast-food workers— many wearing their uniforms from restaurants like McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s—were among the more cooks, cashiers and maintenance workers arrested Thursday as the fight for $15 and the right to form a union intensified across the country.
Napa County Workers Rally for Affordable Health Care
Napa County employees’ contract expired June 30. Though progress has been made in negotiations, health care remains a sticking point: Napa County is demanding that all County employees pay more for their health care, despite a 3% rate drop for Kaiser next year—a move that would hit the lowest-paid workers hardest.
People with Developmental Disabilities and Their Service Providers Call on Gov. Brown to Restore Funding
Gov. Jerry Brown has ignored people with developmental disabilities in his budget. They, along with their service providers, feel betrayed. Budgeted at 1990 levels, and with over $1 billion cut by the state from their bottom line, California’s DD system is on the verge of collapse—and Jerry Brown has proposed doing next to nothing to save it.
SEIU 1021 Members Speak Up About Workplace Violence at AHS
Shanatte Chatman speaks out about violence against healthcare workers at Alameda Health System. She and her co-workers are demanding that AHS adopt contract standards that address the escalating workplace violence that healthcare workers are facing.
Hundreds of SEIU 1021 Members Mark Tax Day with Protest of Weakening of Vital Services
Over 1,000 San Francisco City workers, nonprofit workers and residents marked Tax Day on April 15 with a major protest of the weakening of vital social services and of the increase in income inequality in the City under Mayor Lee’s economic initiatives.
Kaiser is gouging SF residents and employees; Kaiser is probably gouging others, too
SEIU Local 1021 is committed to maintaining both Kaiser and Blue Shield as healthcare options for our members. We are also committed to keeping healthcare affordable for our members and will oppose unwarranted and unjustified rate increases by any healthcare insurance provider.