It’s no surprise a lot of public workers dread budget time. Hiding behind jargon and buried under euphemisms like “budget optimization,” “realignment,” and “paradigm shift” is the same old story: politicians and managers want frontline public workers to do more with less. They want them to help the most vulnerable in our communities and they want them to do it with smaller budgets, fewer workers, bigger caseloads and heavier workloads.

That’s why, every year, SEIU 721 members and other public workers from around California make the trek to Sacramento to remind our elected legislators about the importance of the work we do — and sometimes they hear us.

While public employees and the services they provide continue to be a target of budget cuts, SEIU 721 and other public sector locals secured some victories for working families in this year’s budget:

• Members in the Health Facilities Inspection Division, tasked with inspecting and licensing all clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes, won a 50 percent increase in staffing.

• Eligibility Workers in Los Angeles County and several other counties — some of whom face caseloads ten times larger than a few years ago — won funding for increased staffing. LA County, alone, will add 245 new positions.

• Through our Health4All coalition, SEIU 721 and other public workers led the fight to win an additional $40 million for full-scope Medi-Cal benefits for low-income children, regardless of immigration status.

• With its coalition partners, SEIU 721 and other public workers secured an additional $17.8 million for Relative and Foster Parent Recruitment, Retention, and Support. This funding will help relatives caring for kin and keep families together.

You don’t have to dress them up in fancy buzzwords, these are big wins delivered by SEIU 721 members and their allies.

Bob Schoonover, President