Local 1000 is a strong member led union. The purpose of Local 1000 is to have the power necessary to give our members—and all Californians—the opportunity to have a good life, live in sustainable communities and enjoy the fruits of social, economic and environmental justice.
We will achieve this by engaging and developing our members and by creating strategic alliances with key leaders and organizations who share our purpose and values.
For 20 years, Yvonne Walker has dedicated her life to serving the people of California through public service. Yvonne began working for the State of California at the Department of Justice (DOJ) in 1995 as a legal secretary. She soon became a union steward and led efforts to organize her coworkers at the DOJ. Before becoming president of Local 1000, Yvonne chaired our office and allied workers Bargaining team (Unit 4) and was later Vice President for bargaining statewide. In May of 2008, Yvonne Walker broke racial and gender barriers to become the first African-American woman president of SEIU Local 1000. Currently, President Walker is also a Vice President on SEIU International’s Executive Board.
“We cannot get stuck in a race to the bottom. Good Jobs improve our economy and strengthen the middle class.”
—Yvonne R. Walker
President, Local 1000
Yvonne developed her leadership skills in the U.S. Marine Corps where she learned the importance of discipline, dedication and unity of purpose. As President of Local 1000, she has put those leadership qualities to use by empowering Local 1000’s membership to get involved in the fight for economic and social justice. Her efforts have given Local 1000 a stronger collective voice in its fight to defend working families from assaults on their pensions, wages and benefits, and health care.
Associate Information Systems Analyst
Department of Justice
Margarita Maldonado has dedicated a quarter of a century to public service. While working as an IT Analyst for the California Department of Justice, she became active in her union and later became the Chair of Local 1000’s Bargaining Unit 1, the largest civil sector bargaining unit in the State of California. From there she was elected Local 1000’s Vice President for Bargaining, where she’s led contract negotiations for over 95,000 state workers.
Tamekia Robinson’s quick rise in the U.S. labor movement has been a testament to her exceptional leadership skills and her dedication to broadening the scope and relevancy of unions to a younger generation of workers. A little over a decade ago, she started working for the state as a Program Technician at California’s State Fund. In those short 10 years, she has gone from being a Local 1000 shop steward to being elected statewide as the Vice President for Organizing / Representation for 95,000 state workers.
Principal Compliance Representative
Franchise Tax Board
Long-time Local 1000 and community activist Theresa Taylor was elected as Vice President / Secretary-Treasurer in 2015. She has served as President of District Labor Council (DLC) 786, on Local 1000’s Executive Board and on our Budget Committee. She has also served on the Real Time Strategic Change Design Team and the Retirement Security Team.
Every year on the first Monday in September, we take the opportunity to celebrate Labor Day and reflect on how far working people have come and the contributions organized labor has made to all of our lives. The eight-hour work day, weekends, paid vacations, retirement security, employer provided health care: All these improvements in working conditions would never have happened without the labor movement. It is this power and legacy we celebrate on Labor Day.
I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did if it weren’t for the provisions that were in the contract. It’s a privilege that’s been fought for. I wouldn’t be here if not for the union.
The retirement issues of young professionals in their 20s and early 30s may seem far off for a board that is developing a system to help people retire in their 60s, but we are California’s future.
