Southern California Public Service Workers Unite for One Strong Voice

Members of SEIU Local 721 care for the sick, protect the quality of thedrinking water, keep records in the courts, administer benefits for poorpeople, maintain the libraries, help run the jails, protect our communities’most vulnerable members, maintain the streets, collect the trash, work withparolees, groom and maintain the beaches, and provide many other services tokeep counties and cities running.

And, now we’re stronger than ever. Local 721, represents 85,000 publicservice workers across Southern California . Itis the union of seven locals into one regional union.

SEIU Local 721 --- the number 721 stands for the seven locals that areuniting into one – seven-to-one ---is part of the fastest growing, most diverse union in the nation united. Itrepresents the employees of six major counties in Southern California -- San Luis Obispo , Santa Barbara , Ventura , Los Angeles , Orange and Riverside – and numerous cities in the region, as well as employees of special districtsand publicly-funded non-profits such as health clinics.

SEIU 721 unites former SEIU Locals 347, 535, 660, 700, 998and 1997. ( Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo ’s Local 620 is in the processof uniting with us.)

“By uniting many tens of thousands of members in the same region who dosimilar work, we’ll speak with one powerful voice to win significant gains --not only for our members but also for the communities we serve,” explained SEIU721 President Annelle Grajeda. “Pooling our resources and combining ourstrengths puts us in an excellent position to unify our strategy and grow ourmembership.”

Our new regional union is committed to five main principles:

• ensuring that public service workers can provide their communities with quality services they can be proud of.
• expanding opportunities and job satisfaction for all public service workers.
• working with community organizations as well as interested elected officials to improve public services and win a better future for all working people.
• uniting all public service workers, including those who do not currently belong to a labor union or employee association.
  

Last fall, members statewide voted by 88 percent to support the CaliforniaUnite To Win initiative. Ten Northern California SEIU locals are alsouniting together, to form SEIU 1021. Five Central California locals are joining together to form SEIU 521. Twolocals in the southernmost part of California will comprise SEIU 221. The Unite To Win plan was adopted at the 2004 SEIU InternationalConvention in San Francisco .