I hope you and your family had a happy and healthy holiday season.

I was fortunate enough to spend much of the holidays with SEIU 721 members. At this time of year, they can always be counted on to give back to their communities.

From Riverside to Watts and from Ventura to El Monte, SEIU 721 members fed needy families, played Santa to local children and made sure their generosity was felt across the region. I don’t think it’s an accident that SEIU 721 members give back so much to their communities. We are, after all, public employees dedicated to providing the best services possible to our neighborhoods.

But I think it goes beyond that. SEIU 721 members know that unions improve everyone’s lives. Countless studies have shown that when union wages rise, all working people’s wages rise with them. And when our wages rise, our communities thrive.

As we head into the new year, let’s all keep in mind that our struggles are not selfish. Every day, the work we do improves the lives of millions of Southern Californians in many different ways. Perhaps it’s this kind of thinking that always makes me hopeful when we enter a new year.

Happy new year,
Bob Schoonover
SEIU 721 President and LA City
Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanic