Q: Why do you do what you do?
Because I believe in the union and what we stand for. I believe in the protections they offer my fellow coworkers and for the future of my family and what the union does to make things better for them.
Rose Haakma is one of the most dedicated activists in SEIU Local 1000. She serves as Secretary-Treasurer for DLC 709, which encompasses the northern portion of San Diego County, but where she spends the most time serving her fellow members is as the building leader for the Mission Valley Metropolitan State Building, which houses over 450 workers represented by SEIU Local 1000. With her gracious manner, she makes herself known to many of her fellow coworkers who come to her when they are in need.
Rose has served as a steward since 2006 and been involved in her DLC leadership since 2007. Rose is a model member and cares deeply about her fellow members – one example of her generosity is giving her fellow members rides home even if they live in the opposite direction.
Rose also does whatever it takes to help the union grow, including frequent leafleting as early as 6 am outside the building, and she organizes and runs the logistics for every union meeting in her worksite, which is quite an undertaking given that attendance can be over 120. Although she works for the Department of Rehabilitation as an Office Technician, Rose has dedicated herself to supporting other coworkers in other state agencies such as the over 200 Disability Evaluation workers who work in two branches of DSS DDSD (Disability Determination Services Division), including helping to organize members to attend a San Diego-area congressional informational hearing and meeting with DDSD leaders to help them in organizing.
Rose serves as a delegate to the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council. She is so dedicated to electing pro-worker candidates that on the June 2008 Primary Day, she insisted on continuing to Get Out the Vote, although she had fallen and skinned her shin, because she knew that her precinct had the most identified voters. That candidate won the primary but just over 500 votes and went on to win the General Election, netting one pro-worker Assembly seat for the union. Rose also rode for hours via van and bus to Las Vegas to help Get Out the Vote for President Barack Obama.
SEIU Local 1000 has an activist we can count on in Rose Haakma, and we are proud to name her as Political Member of the Month.