SEIU 721 President's Report — July 2026 Issue cover. Standing Strong in the City of Ventura. Honoring Linda Dent with a Day of Joy and Service in Watts. La Brigada Rolls In — Building a Gig Workers Union. Santa Ana City Workers Beat Back Cutbacks and Furloughs.
A Message From SEIU 721 President David Green

Linda Dent’s Legacy Lives in Service

Purple-and-yellow tribute collage honoring President Linda Dent, layered over an LA County strike scene David Green, SEIU 721 President

Every year, SEIU 721 members and staff come together for a Day of Service that reflects the values at the heart of our union. This year, we paired that tradition with Juneteenth to honor the life and legacy of Linda Dent, SEIU 721's first Black woman president.

Linda believed our union had to be bigger than the workplace alone. She understood that the fight for dignity on the job is tied to racial justice, strong public institutions, and real care for our communities. I draw on the lessons Linda taught through her leadership in everything I do with this union, and I saw that spirit again this year as members came together in service and solidarity.

Linda also blazed a trail for Black women to lead across our movement and our communities, helping open doors for leaders from Yvonne Wheeler at the LA County Federation of Labor to Karen Bass in the Mayor's office.

The Linda Dent Day of Service reminds me that our union's power is measured not only at the bargaining table, but in how we show up for one another.

In unity, David Green signature
SEIU 721 Retirees

SEIU 721 Retirees Win LACERA Recognition

New status expands outreach to future retirees and strengthens retiree organizing.

SEIU 721 retiree leaders at LACERA headquarters for the recognition ceremony

The SEIU 721 Retirees Committee reached a major milestone on June 3 when it was officially recognized by the Los Angeles County Employee Retirement Association. The designation allows the committee to use LACERA's mailing list, take part in pre-retirement orientations, and work more closely with LACERA on efforts that benefit retirees and soon-to-retire county workers.

The recognition ceremony at LACERA headquarters brought together retiree leaders Myran Cotton, Joaquin Miramontes, Deborah Cotton Thomas, and Gloria Nezahualcoyotl with LACERA officials including CEO Luis A. Lugo. Retiree leaders said the new designation will help grow membership and connect more county employees to the SEIU 721 Retirees Committee as they prepare for retirement.

SEIU 721 Retirees Committee celebrating recognition Retiree leaders with LACERA officials
SEIU 721 Tri-Counties
SEIU 721 Ventura city workers speaking at council chambers
Standing Up for Healthcare

City of Ventura Members Win Strong Contract Gains as council action helps push bargaining forward on one of the biggest issues in negotiations

Dozens of City of Ventura members turned out and spoke up at the June 9 council meeting to demand affordable healthcare, making clear that members were united and ready to fight for a fair contract.

At that point in negotiations, healthcare had been one of the biggest sticking points at the bargaining table. But after members took public action and bargaining resumed, the union was able to win a strong contract that will make a real difference for members, their families, and the communities they serve.

The agreement includes a 10 percent salary increase over the life of the three-year contract. It also delivers more than a 60 percent increase in the City's healthcare contributions for employee-plus-one and employee-plus-family coverage, along with an 18 percent increase over the life of the contract for employee-only coverage.

When members stand together and speak out, they move the fight forward. In Ventura, that unity helped turn one of the toughest bargaining issues into a meaningful win.

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Salary increase over the three-year contract
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Increase in City healthcare contribution for plus-one and family coverage
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Increase over the life of the contract for employee-only coverage
City of Ventura SEIU 721 members after winning their contract
Wellness & Community

Wellness in Motion Brings Members Together for Health and Community

Countywide event highlights movement, mindfulness, and SEIU 721 outreach.

SEIU 721 members and families gather at Wellness in Motion at Santa Fe Dam

SEIU 721 members brought energy and connection to the Countywide Wellness Challenge's Wellness in Motion event on June 13 at the Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area in Irwindale. Open to county employees, families, and friends, the event gave participants a chance to move, connect, and explore ways to support their physical and mental well-being.

The day featured a 5K walk and run along with activities including tai chi, yoga, meditation sessions, nutrition resources, family-friendly programming, information booths, and giveaways. SEIU 721 maintained a visible presence throughout the event, sharing resources and reinforcing the link between member wellness and worker power.

SEIU 721 · La Brigada & California Gig Workers Union

La Brigada Rolls In — Building a Gig Workers Union

La Brigada caravan of gig drivers rolls through Los Angeles

Gig Worker Campaign Builds Momentum Across California and Beyond

La Brigada 2.0 and new organizing breakthroughs are bringing more drivers into the fight

The California Gig Workers Union organizing campaign continues to gain momentum, with La Brigada 2.0 bringing thousands more drivers into the fight for respect, rights, and a real voice on the job.

The latest update points to growing energy not only across California, but nationally as well, with organizing connections reaching drivers in Massachusetts and Minnesota and thousands of additional drivers joining the union effort.

A major breakthrough came when Uber and Lyft were required to send drivers notices about their right to organize their union. The move showed that worker pressure is forcing the companies to recognize drivers' growing collective power and the demand for a union voice.

That momentum has continued to build through a June 25 town hall, a sustained driver organizer presence outside LA-area World Cup matches and at LAX, and ongoing movement on SB 1246 in the legislature. Together, those developments reflect a campaign that is expanding, deepening driver engagement, and building the power needed to win lasting rights and protections on the job.

Adolfo Granados, SEIU 721 Treasurer
Gig workers keep California moving—we're organizing a union to make sure the road ahead is fair for every driver.
Adolfo GranadosTreasurer, SEIU 721
Linda Dent Day of Service · Juneteenth in Watts

Honoring Linda’s Legacy Through Action

SEIU 721 members mark five years since Linda Dent’s passing with a Juneteenth Day of Service in Watts

SEIU 721 members came together for the Linda Dent Day of Service to honor a leader whose commitment to justice still shapes the union's work. Marking five years since Dent's passing, the event tied Juneteenth reflection to community service and member solidarity.

The day showed how her legacy continues to live on through collective action, public service, and a union culture rooted in dignity, equity, and care.

Simboa Wright, SEIU 721 Vice President
Linda's legacy lives in every act of service we take on together.
Simboa WrightVice President, SEIU 721
SEIU 721 members gathered at the Day of Remembrance and Service for Linda Dent, holding Juneteenth flags in front of an SEIU Local 721 tent
Inland Region · Riverside County

Riverside County Members Launch 2026 Contract Fight With June 9 Board Action

Thousands of petition signatures delivered as members show unity and strength.

SEIU 721 Riverside County members address the Board of Supervisors

Riverside County members kicked off the public phase of the 2026 contract campaign on June 9 with a strong show of unity at the Board of Supervisors. In the first public action of the campaign, members came together to deliver thousands of petition signatures and send a clear message that they are united, engaged, and ready to fight for a strong contract.

The action marked an important early step in building the power needed to win at the bargaining table. With members turning out in force, the June 9 mobilization underscored the growing momentum behind the campaign and the shared commitment to winning a fair agreement.

David Green, SEIU 721 President
When frontline workers stand together, we turn 'peanuts' offers into real progress.
David GreenPresident, SEIU 721
Inland Region · City of Beaumont

City of Beaumont Members Lock In Contract Wins

COLAs, new step increases, and more.

City of Beaumont SEIU 721 members celebrating contract ratification

The results are in! City of Beaumont members have overwhelmingly voted to ratify their new 2026–2029 contract.

This strong agreement delivers Cost of Living Adjustments, new step increases, and longevity bonuses we deserve — and much, much more!

Congratulations to all City of Beaumont members on this hard-fought victory. This win was only possible thanks to members standing Union Strong and making their voices heard.

SEIU 721 · COPE Warriors

COPE Warriors Deliver
Big Primary Wins

Member-powered political action helps elect pro-worker candidates and protect frontline services

SEIU 721 members scored major wins in the June 2026 Primary, helping elect member-endorsed, pro-worker candidates across Southern California and securing passage of Los Angeles County's Measure ER. The measure's approval helped protect vital frontline healthcare services at a time of deep uncertainty and ongoing threats to public funding.

Driving that success were SEIU 721's COPE Warriors — members who gave their evenings and weekends to get out the vote and strengthen the union's political power. Their work showed once again that when members organize not only on the job, but also at the ballot box, they can shape outcomes that directly affect workers, families, and the communities they serve.

Lillian Cabral, Secretary, SEIU 721
Thank you SEIU 721 COPE Warriors for helping power big wins for working families.
Lillian CabralSecretary, SEIU 721
City of Santa Ana · Contract Fight

Santa Ana Members Stop Furlough Threat, Keep Fighting for Fair Contract

City workers pack council chambers and show the power of union unity

Santa Ana SEIU 721 members pack council chambers in purple shirts

The Vote That Turned the Tide

Keep Fighting for Fair Contract — city workers pack council chambers and show the power of union unity

On June 16, SEIU 721 members packed the Santa Ana City Council chambers and brought that same energy to the bargaining table, showing city leaders what unity looks like when essential workers are under attack. Wearing purple shirts and carrying signs calling for respect, protection, and fair pay, members made clear they are organized and ready to fight for the contract they deserve.

That pressure paid off in a major early victory. Thanks to the strength and advocacy of Santa Ana City workers, management's proposed furloughs were taken off the table for good — an important win for the members who keep the city running every day.

But the fight is not over. With inflation and healthcare costs still rising, workers are pushing for stronger cost-of-living adjustments that truly meet the affordability crisis they face. Santa Ana members have been clear about what they want: a contract that treats them with dignity and respect, protects jobs and benefits, and recognizes the essential services they provide to residents.

By turning out in force and staying organized, SEIU 721 members are sending a message to city management and elected officials alike: when workers stand together, they can stop cuts and win the fair contract their families deserve.

Zine-style collage combining Supreme Court and mail-ballot imagery
Gilda Valdez, SEIU 721 Chief of Staff
A column by Gilda Valdez Chief of Staff, SEIU 721

Mail Ballots Count. Workers Must Too.

The Supreme Court just handed California voters an important victory: states can continue to count mailed ballots that are postmarked by Election Day and received shortly afterward, preserving the vote-by-mail rules people rely on in this state.

For working people who juggle long shifts, family care, and multiple jobs, that decision keeps a crucial path to participation open. Ballots mailed on time still count, and that matters.

But in the same week, the court sent a chilling message about rights at work. In a decision overturning nearly a century of precedent, the majority ruled that the president can remove leaders of independent federal agencies without cause — a change that could reach bodies like the National Labor Relations Board, the agency that protects the right to organize and enforces basic labor law.

Taken together, these rulings say one thing to union members: mail ballots are powerful, and they cannot be left unused. If working people do not vote for leaders who respect workers and democracy, this court has shown it is willing to hand the presidency the power to upend the very agencies meant to defend those rights.

Gilda Valdez signature