In recognition of Labor Day, SEIU members in Southern California and across the country are mobilizing their communities to restore fairness to our economy and rebuild our communities.
Working to Restore Fairness to Our Economy
Right now, SEIU janitors in Century City, Los Angeles, are earning the support of their sisters and brothers in SEIU, community groups and other workers all around the country to hold the giant Wall Street firm JPMorgan Chase accountable for laying off people just to boost its own profits.
JPMorgan received $95 billion in taxpayer bailouts and backstops after crashing the economy and paid out $9 billion in bonuses to their top bankers this year. SEIU members walked off the job in solidarity with the laid off workers, led a week of public actions, and will take the workers to JP Morgan Chase headquarters in New York to challenge CEO Jamie Dimon to put people first.
“Los Angeles has the nation’s greatest disparity of wealth and poverty,” said SEIU 721 President Bob Schoonover. “Unions help fill the middle with workers who can afford to buy homes and keep them up, keep their families healthy, and save and pay for their own retirement.”
Click here to read a Labor Day oped in the September 3 issue of CityWatch, an online newsletter about issues facing Los Angeles.
Working to Rebuild Our Communities
In Los Angeles, SEIU members will host workers and families for the first annual Fresh Start Community Fair. The massive community celebration will focus on how community members can rebuild their communities by joining together. Attorney General Jerry Brown, who is endorsed by SEIU members for governor on Nov. 2, is expected to speak at the event.
“Meg Whitman has said she would cut 40,000 state jobs, and I want Californians to have access to the services they need,” said Ciara Tymony, a Court Services Assitant for LA Superior Court. “That’s why I’m supporting Jerry Brown for governor.”