Important Elections, Contracts Expirations: L.A. Union Members Plan for 2008

More than 50 representatives of SEIU Local 721 met with 1,000 Los Angeles County union members at the second annual Delegates Congress hosted by the County Federation of Labor. Union members set a variety of priorities and heard from a number of elected officials including Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa who commended L.A. City workers’ commitment to their city.

SEIU 721 President Annelle Grajeda addressed the Congress about the importance of the Supervisorial election in the county’s Second District.

“The five Supervisors wield tremendous influence over health care, welfare, transportation, social and human services, economic development and law enforcement. They negotiate contracts for over 200,000 union members. But, at election time, we have been giving them a free ride,” Grajeda said.

Grajeda and SEIU 721 Executive Board member and public health nurse Rosie Martinez told the crowd how important the Supervisors’ decisions can be for the health of Los Angeles County residents:

“We pay a very dear price when this Board of Supervisors, through years of neglect and a total lack of leadership, allows the only public hospital in the 2nd District to deteriorate so badly that it is forced to shut down. It’s high time for a change, brothers and sisters, and it’s up to US to make that change. Are you ready to make history? Are you ready to change the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors?”

 “I work with patients that have no health care women and children and pregnant homeless.  I work educating the public on how to help prevent the spread of communicable diseases. The supervisorial race matters to me because as a county employee and a county nurse, the Board of Supervisors makes decisions about what kind of benefits and cost of living increases I will receive, but more importantly they also make decisions about the funding my department receives, which determines how well we will be able to keep county residents safe.”

Helping elect a Supervisor in touch with the needs of working families is a top priority in 2008. Union members also resolved to support workers fighting for strong contracts and those uniting to form a union:

In 2008 more than 337,000 workers - belonging to 30 local unions – will re-negotiate their union contracts. That’s the largest number of workers in the history of the Los Angeles. The workers represent key sectors reflecting the core of L.A.'s economy including actors, longshoremen, homecare workers, teachers and janitors.

At the same time more than 30,000 port drivers, security officers, hotel workers, construction workers and LAX passenger services workers will continue their fight to move out of poverty by joining a union.