DMV HEAT Team Signs Up 1000 New Members
We are growing stronger together

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In a huge win, Local 1000’s DMV “HEAT Team” signed up 1000 new members.

“Our DMV HEAT Team is doing some amazing work,” said Local 1000 President Yvonne R. Walker.

“Our DMV member leaders are setting an example—and raising the standard—for everyone in Local 1000. It really shows the power of effective workplace organizing.”

Since January, DMV has opened four new offices [San Jose, Granada Hills in Los Angeles, Stanton in Orange County and Lompoc] to accommodate the rush of license applications result- ing from AB 60, a bill passed in 2013 that allows undocumented workers to obtain driver’s licenses.

In all four of these new offices, more than 80 percent of the employees enjoy the benefits of full union membership.

DMV workers understand the value of standing strong in the workplace surrounded by other Local 1000 members. It makes a difference at the bargaining table as well as when a new man- ager in a new state office doesn’t understand, and consequently violates, our contract.

Organizing from orientation

Local 1000 successfully anchored these new members by send- ing stewards to each new DMV employee-orientation meeting. At those meetings, stewards were able to present the new workers with information about the ben- efits of Local 1000 membership.

“We knew that we had all these new state workers coming onboard and going through training last fall, so we made sure we had a strong presence at every single new-employee orientation meet- ing,” said Deleon Secrest, a DMV HEAT Team member based in the Los Angeles area.

Griffin Tufuga, another DMV mem- ber from Sacramento, said she upgraded her own organizing skills by making presentations at several meetings.

“This process has made me a better organizer. The new employ- ees related to my personal story of how Local 1000 has really improved my life,” said Tufuga, who personally signed up doz- ens of new members. “I talked about all of the years of work that we put into the reclassification drive that means more money for current employees.”

Richard David Turner, a DMV team leader from Santa Cruz who helped recruit members in San Jose, said he was impressed that so many employees wanted to participate politically in SEIU through COPE.

“These new employees under- stand the connection between the political/legislative process and new jobs,” Turner said. “I was impressed that so many new employees want to support the important work Local 1000 is doing.”