What a difference a month makes. In June, pundits were predicting the Supreme Court decision in Harris v. Quinn would effectively end the union movement. While the ruling was wrong-headed, it was far from the predicted deathblow.
The recent Supreme Court decision about the union rights of Illinois homecare workers focused national attention on the well-funded legal attacks on public employees, but they’re nothing new.
SEIU 721 members won two big victories this month that illustrates why we use all the tools in the union toolbox to protect working people.
We’re bringing up some new ideas in the City of Los Angeles—ones that can make the city a whole lot better for our members and all residents. We want to fix LA and restore neighborhood services to every single community in the city.
I’ve got some big news. At the end of February, SEIU 721 members at St. John’s Well Child and Family Center voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new three year contract. It contains improved healthcare benefits, provides for better staff development and safeguards employee vacation time. These are all important wins for our members. But that’s not the whole story.
It wasn’t easy, but we changed the conversation. When our LA County Children’s Social Workers went out on strike last December, no one could really predict how it would end. All of our LA County members had worked hard for nine months to win a good contract. We held rallies, mass pickets and a huge walk-out on Oct. 1.
The new year is here, and I’ve started thinking about what’s ahead for Local 721 members. One positive trend is that the economy is finally picking up and that means we’re seeing more money in our contracts. In the City of Riverside, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, Santa Ana, LA County and elsewhere, SEIU 721 members have negotiated strong contracts that include raises.
As of today, LA County members have been working without a contract for more than two months. That’s because the County is refusing to give our members raises and make them effective on October 1, the same day they made them effective for management.
Since June, LA County members have been bargaining hard for a fair contract that’s good for them and the community. We hoped to finish the process during two days of intensive bargaining in late October. Unfortunately, negotiations with the County broke down.
I take a lot of pride in being the President of Local 721. We’re a strong Local with an incredibly active membership. But on October 1, that pride swelled to new levels as I looked out at the massive crowd of LA County workers assembled in front of the County Hall of Administration.