In 2014, SEIU 721 members secured some stunning victories, ratifying good new contracts in L.A. County, beating back pension take-aways in Ventura, launching ground-breaking community partnerships, like Fix L.A., and leading the way on big fights, like the Fight for $15, across the region. But I’m not going to sugar-coat it, 2015 is going to be tough. Here are the four pillars of a winning strategy put together by 721’s members.

Invest in Our Communities & Restore Public Services

The work SEIU 721 members do and the services we provide hold our communities together, make our cities livable and move our society forward. That’s why we’re working to elect leaders who will restore and invest in them and building partnerships with the community and clergy groups that share these goals.

Protect & Expand Middle-Class Jobs

Public sector work has provided a pathway to the middle class for hundreds of thousands of Californians. But politically and economically, we can no longer go it alone and expect to hang on to what we’ve got. We must help unionize other sectors and fight for a $15 minimum wage so that every working individual can make ends meet. This raises the floor for our work and builds alliances across society that protect our jobs.

Protect Public Health & Child Safety

No one understands the importance of fully-funded health and safety programs like SEIU members. We are doctors, nurses, homecare and nursing home workers, eligibility workers, child social workers and lab technicians fighting everyday to protect the health and safety of children and families. Because our work benefits everyone, we can join with allies to help secure the training, support and resources we need.

Make Banks & Corporations Pay Their Fair Share Big banks and corporations in L.A. and around the country work overtime to maximize profits at the expense of communities by fighting to cut their own taxes — even when it decimates public services. We need to organize, speak truth to power, and make them fund their fair share for quality public services.

We win by getting off defense, demonstrating how our work produces a more just and humane society, building alliances and ensuring that the richest segments of our country pay their fair share.

Bob Schoonover, President