SEIU 721 President's Report, October 2026 Issue cover. We Fought for It! Our LA County raises and $2,000 bonus kick in. Strike Ready: Ventura Court workers launch ULP strike vote. 97% YES: LGBT Center members lock in 18% raises. ¡Orgullo Latino!: Latino Caucus marches in East LA parade.
A Message From SEIU 721 President David Green

We Fought for It. Now It’s Paying Off.

Hundreds of SEIU 721 members in purple march behind an LA County ULP strike banner, holding picket signs David Green, SEIU 721 President and Executive Director

Sisters, Brothers, and Siblings,

On Oct. 1, the contract we fought so hard for starts paying off. LA County members will see our first raise, a 2% COLA, plus a $2,000 one-time bonus on the Oct. 30 paycheck. And that’s just the beginning. Over three years, our contract delivers $7,000 in bonuses, 7% in COLAs, a 24% increase in health insurance allowances, and $10 million a year for dependent care.

Nobody handed us any of it. We rallied, we walked off the job in a ULP strike, and we held the line until the County agreed to a fair contract.

That same power is winning across our union. Simi Valley city workers won 100% market equity and a 9% COLA. Ventura County members won a historic contract after a 98% ULP strike vote. St. John’s Community Health set an industry-leading $30 minimum wage, and LACERA workers won 12.5% over three years. Just this month, members at the Los Angeles LGBT Center ratified 18% raises with a 97% YES vote.

When we fight, we win. Enjoy this raise. You earned it.

In Unity,

David Green signature

David Green
President and Executive Director
SEIU Local 721

Around Our Union
Alex Valdez, Chair of Bargaining Unit 211, in an SEIU 721 shirt, flashing a peace sign

Union Victory: We Stopped the Privatization of Food Services at Camp Kilpatrick

When we fight, we win! SEIU 721 members at the LA County Probation Department stopped an attempt to contract out our work at Camp Vernon Kilpatrick, an LA County juvenile camp in Malibu.

Management signed a contract with Morrison Healthcare to privatize food services without notifying our union, then moved our Food Service members to other camps. Led by Alex Valdez, Chair of Bargaining Unit 211, members met and conferred with management. With the support of President and Executive Director David Green, the issue went to the top of the Probation Department.

Management canceled the contract, and every relocated Food Service worker in SEIU 721 returned to Camp Kilpatrick.

“Although we may not always win the fight, we are always in the fight,” said Alex Valdez. “Union Strong ’til the end!”

SEIU 721 Armenian Caucus members gathered on the steps in front of Old Mission Santa Barbara

Armenian Caucus Visits Solvang

The SEIU 721 Armenian Caucus had a wonderful turnout for its trip to Solvang in early September. Members started with breakfast and a museum tour at Old Mission Santa Barbara, then had lunch at Trattoria Grappolo.

The group also visited the monument honoring Maria Jacobsen, the Danish missionary who witnessed the Armenian Genocide and saved many Armenians. She is remembered as “Mayrik,” Armenian for “mother.”

“It was a celebration of friendship, community, culture, and togetherness,” said Caucus Chair Silva Kechichian, who helped organize the trip.

The Armenian Caucus meets at 6 P.M. on the second Tuesday of every month. Join us!

SEIU 721 2026 Family Fun Day

Familia Strong

SEIU 721 members and families gathered at Whittier Narrows for the 2026 Assembly and Family Fun Day

There’s nothing better than a beautiful Saturday with our union! On Sept. 12, SEIU 721 members and their families came together at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area in South El Monte for our 2026 Assembly and Family Fun Day, a day of food, games, prizes, and more.

Thank you to every member, volunteer, and staff member who made the day a success. When we stand together at work and have fun together outside of it, we build the kind of union that wins.

Simboa Wright, Vice President, SEIU 721
“Our union is more than a contract. It’s a family. Days like this remind us who we’re fighting for every day we show up at work.”
Simboa WrightVice President, SEIU 721
A speaker addresses the Family Fun Day assembly in front of an SEIU backdrop
A member speaks at the Family Fun Day assembly
Kids play in a bounce house at Family Fun Day
Members greet each other under the SEIU Local 721 tents
Two members in Our Union, Our Pride shirts, one holding a rainbow fan
A family visits the Fun Fair snack shack
Members pose together at an SEIU 721 booth
Members serve food under a tent at Family Fun Day
SEIU 721 Retirees Committee members at their booth
SEIU 721 Latino Caucus in East LA

¡Orgullo y Poder!

SEIU 721 Latino Caucus members cheer with gold 721 balloons at the East LA parade

Our SEIU 721 Latino Caucus was union strong at the East LA Parade & Festival celebrating Mexican Independence Day on Sunday, Sept. 13. It was a day of unity, familia, solidarity, and cultural pride.

Later, we gathered at Stevens Steakhouse & Restaurant to celebrate our caucus and honor its founder, Gilda Valdez. We also heard from several SEIU 721-endorsed candidates and allies.

Joe Martinez, Executive Board Member and Chair, SEIU 721 Latino Caucus
“Our culture and our union come from the same place: familia, community, and standing up for each other. When we march together, we show Los Angeles the power of Latino workers.”
Joe MartinezExecutive Board Member and Chair, SEIU 721 Latino Caucus
The SEIU Local 721 banner on the side of the parade bus
A member holds up an SEIU 721 shirt beside a Mexican flag
Members smile aboard the parade bus
Members in Local 721 shirts aboard the parade bus
A parade performer in front of the SEIU 721 bus
A member poses with a parade performer
The SEIU 721 parade bus rolls down the East LA parade route
A member leads chants with a bullhorn aboard the parade bus
Contract Wins

Our Raises Start Now

LA County’s first raise takes effect Oct. 1, and members across SEIU 721 are winning strong contracts.

LA County SEIU 721 members march in purple down a palm-lined street
0%
COLA — Oct. 1, 2026
$0
One-time bonus
0%
COLA — Oct. 1, 2027
$0M
A year for dependent care

LA County: We Fought for It, All of It

Those of us in the LA County workforce will never forget how hard we worked to win a strong contract. Now it’s paying off. Our first raise takes effect Oct. 1 and will be reflected on our Oct. 30 paycheck.

  • Oct. 1, 2026: 2% COLA (Cost-of-Living Adjustment) and a $2,000 one-time bonus
  • Oct. 1, 2027: 5% COLA
  • Health insurance allowances: 8% increases on Jan. 1 of 2026, 2027, and 2028
  • Already in effect: Bereavement leave increased from three days to five for eligible family members, and members in Choices and Options may now join LA County’s 401(k) Savings Plan (without an employer match).

LA County also raised its annual contribution to the Dependent Care Spending Account from $6.5 million to $10 million, a top priority our members identified in bargaining.

These raises and benefits are not a handout. We fought for them, and together, we won!

Los Angeles LGBT Center members rally with signs about their health care

LA LGBT Center Members Ratify Strong New Contract

Members voted 97% YES on a three-year deal that locks in 18% raises.

We’ve secured another strong three-year contract at the Los Angeles LGBT Center! Members voted overwhelmingly, with 97% voting YES, to ratify a contract that establishes a new wage scale retroactive to July 1 and locks in 18% raises over the life of the contract.

Other wins include higher differentials, a new vacation cash-out option, improved higher education fund benefits, and more.

Congratulations to these members for showing, yet again, how much we can accomplish when we stand strong and united!

Congratulations David Green, 2026 Recipient of the CAPSAC Neal Snyder Outstanding Service Award
Congratulations, President Green

President Green Honored With CAPSAC’s Neal Snyder Outstanding Service Award

CAPSAC recognized David Green for strengthening the conditions under which Children’s Social Workers protect vulnerable kids.

SEIU 721 President and Executive Director David Green received the Neal Snyder Outstanding Service Award at the California Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s (CAPSAC’s) 40th Annual Awards Ceremony on Sept. 18.

President Green has spent more than two decades as a Children’s Social Worker III at LA County’s Department of Children and Family Services and teaches social work policy at Cal State LA.

CAPSAC honored his work to strengthen the conditions under which Children’s Social Workers protect abused and neglected children, and his public challenge to a $2 million LA County settlement when workers were told there was no money for raises.

“Child safety is inseparable from workforce stability, manageable caseloads, and professional support systems,” President Green said. “I dedicate this award to all the Social Workers at our Union.”

“Such advocacy is not politically easy,” said Siyon Rhee, PhD, MSW, Director of Cal State LA’s School of Social Work, who nominated him. “It requires moral clarity.”

Congratulations, President Green!

SEIU 721 Tri-Counties

Ventura Court Workers: We’re Fed Up With the Lawbreaking

An informational picket launched our Unfair Labor Practice Strike Authorization vote.

Ventura Superior Court members picket at the Hall of Justice with Stop Breaking the Law signs

On Sept. 22, Ventura Superior Court members made a strong show of force at an informational picket at the Hall of Justice, joined by SEIU 721 members from across the county, including the District Attorney’s Office, Probation, the Public Defender’s Office, and the Human Services Agency. Court members at the Juvenile Justice Center also picketed outside the Oxnard courthouse.

The picket marked the launch of our Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Strike Authorization vote. Together, we are sending a clear message to Court management: We’re fed up with the lawbreaking, and we stand united for a fair contract that ensures justice for our county.

We have already filed three ULPs, and more are in process. We will announce the results of the Strike Authorization vote at a media event as we continue our fight for a fair contract.

Lillian Cabral, Secretary, SEIU Local 721
“Court workers keep justice moving in Ventura County every single day. We’re done accepting disrespect at the table. We’re united, and we’re ready to fight for the fair contract we’ve earned.”
Lillian CabralSecretary, SEIU Local 721
LA Superior Court

LA Superior Court Members Purple Up as Bargaining Begins

LA Superior Court members stickered up on Sept. 11 in a strong show of unity to demand the fair contract we deserve. That same day, our Bargaining Team kicked off contract negotiations with the Court, starting with ground rules.

While the team took a stand for us at the table, hundreds of SEIU 721 members stickered up throughout the courts in a show of union power. And we’re just getting started.

Show the Court you stand with our Bargaining Team: Wear purple every Friday, and share your Purple Up photos and selfies with us.

LA Superior Court members gather in purple with union stickers
A court member shows off her purple union stickers
Court workers with a Stand United sign
A court member wearing her union sticker
LA Superior Court members stand together in purple
Members sticker up inside an LA courthouse
A large group of court workers in purple
Court workers smile in their Purple Up stickers
Court members show unity as bargaining begins
Court workers line up together in purple
Labor Day 2026

Union Strong From LA to the Inland Empire

SEIU 721 members with gold 721 balloons under an SEIU Local 721 tent at the Wilmington Labor Day picnic

SEIU 721 members celebrated union power, pride, and solidarity at the 47th Annual Labor Day Parade, Picnic and Rally in Wilmington on Sept. 7. Together with our union siblings from across Southern California, we marched to celebrate the workers who keep our communities running, and to show that we’re fighting for, and winning, a brighter future.

Adolfo Granados, Treasurer, SEIU 721
“From Wilmington to Riverside, Labor Day showed what SEIU 721 is: one union, marching together. That same unity is how Riverside County members are going to win the contract they deserve.”
Adolfo GranadosTreasurer, SEIU 721
SEIU 721 members in front of an SEIU-wrapped truck in Wilmington
An SEIU 721 Union Strong banner and 721 balloons on a parade float
A sanitation worker holds a Union Strong sign beside an LA Sanitation truck
Three members pose together at the Labor Day parade
A member gives a thumbs up at the Labor Day parade
Members talk under the picnic tent
Members enjoy the picnic on the grass
A member in a red hat raises her fist at the picnic
Contest Winners

Dodger Union Night Contest Winners

Thanks to everyone who entered our LA Dodgers Union Night ticket contest! Hundreds of SEIU 721 members submitted photos showing their pride in our union. Up for grabs were two pairs of tickets to see the Dodgers take on the Washington Nationals on Sept. 5, and the game went down to the wire before the Dodgers pulled out a thrilling victory.

Our two winners were Ariana Robledo, Eligibility Worker for the Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services, and David Goldstein, Environmental Resource Analyst for the County of Ventura.

Ariana said being a member of SEIU 721 means being supported and always having a voice. David said the tickets let him take his 8-year-old son, Ben, to his first professional sports event, and that he’s proud to be a 721 member.

Contest winner Ariana Robledo's union pride photo
Ariana Robledo
Contest winner David Goldstein's union pride photo
David Goldstein

Congratulations to our winners, and thank you to every member who showed off their union pride!

Honorable Mentions

  • Eddie TiagaEddie TiagaRiverside County
  • Jantzn MayJantzn MayCity of Los Angeles
  • Benina ZavalaBenina ZavalaSt. John’s Community Health Center
  • Kevin AlvaradoKevin AlvaradoLA County
  • Tracey ManjarrezTracey ManjarrezSt. John’s Community Health Center
For LA County Members

Need an Accommodation? Know Your Rights in the Interactive Process

Cut-paper illustration of a worker and union steward seated at a table across from a manager
Have a work restriction or disability? LA County must work with you in good faith to find an accommodation that keeps you on the job.

What Is an IPM?

An Interactive Process Meeting (IPM) is an ongoing, good-faith conversation between you and the County to find a reasonable accommodation, meaning any change that lets you perform your job’s essential functions without causing the County “undue hardship.” Examples include modified schedules, new equipment, restructured duties, or reassignment to a vacant position.

How It Works: 4 Steps

  1. Your job is reviewed. The County identifies your position’s essential functions.
  2. Your limits are identified. The County consults with you about your restrictions.
  3. Options are explored. Together, you weigh possible accommodations.
  4. A decision is made. The County considers your preference and puts an effective accommodation in place.

Your IPM Checklist

  • DO respond on time to reasonable requests, including documentation from your health care provider.
  • DO suggest more than one accommodation, and ask for a continuance if problems come up.
  • DON’T get medical documentation that restricts essential job functions unless it’s medically necessary.
  • KNOW the County can’t demand your complete medical records, and must prove undue hardship if it denies an accommodation.

If the Meeting Turns Disciplinary

If the conversation moves to demotion or termination, stop. Invoke your Weingarten Rights and ask for a union representative.

If You’re Treated Unfairly

Contact your steward or call Member Connection to file a grievance under Article 6 (Non-Discrimination). You can also file with the California Civil Rights Department within three years, or with the EEOC within 300 days.

Need Assistance?

Call Member Connection at 1-877-721-4YOU (4968).

Editorial collage of Xavier Becerra and Karen Bass with a purple ballot box, the California state outline, the State Capitol dome, and Los Angeles City Hall Gilda Valdez, SEIU 721 Chief of Staff, on the LA County strike line
Our Union

This November, Workers’ Rights Are on the Ballot — VOTE!

Sisters, Brothers, and Siblings,

This election is our chance to protect everything we’ve won, and to send a message to the billionaires trying to silence our voices and wreck our economy: We’re fed up.

  • Xavier Becerra for Governor. Washington is coming after public workers. We need a governor who will make California our firewall.
  • Karen Bass for LA Mayor. Keep a partner in City Hall who works with us for the services Angelenos count on.
  • Marissa Roy for LA City Attorney. She’ll fight for workers and renters and take on the Trump administration in court.
  • YES on Prop 3. Keeps the tax on the highest incomes that funds our schools and health care, permanently.
  • NO on Prop 39. A voter ID scheme bankrolled by a Republican megadonor to make it harder for Californians to vote.
  • NO on Prop 43. Lets a minority of voters block the local funding our communities and our jobs depend on.

Ballots arrive in early October. Vote early, and then make sure your family, friends, and coworkers get to the polls.

In Unity, Gilda Valdez signature

Gilda Valdez
Chief of Staff, SEIU Local 721