From the Desk of Local 1000 Board Chair Bill Hall
Good afternoon –
While most of us recently enjoyed a peaceful and joy-filled
Thanksgiving, we must still be mindful that the past month has
brought multiple mass shootings in the United States. When these
events take place at workplaces and injure workers, the impact on
those employees and their families is devastating. More must be
done to address the crisis in mental health that can reside at
the center of these horrific events. In California, with the
urging of our union partners at the California Labor Federation,
Governor Newsom recently took steps to address the care shortage
when he signed State Senator Portantino’s (D – Burbank) bill in
September 2022. Known as Senate Bill 1002, it seeks to address
California’s mental health provider shortage by authorizing
qualified social workers to offer assessment and therapy for
mental health issues experienced by injured workers.
It’s our job to protect California State workers, and this type
of legislation is doing just that in real time — even as we build
power in our Contract Campaign. Our safety and rights at work is
top of mind for our labor allies, as well as our Union stewards
and staff. Join us as we redouble our efforts in the upcoming
months.
- This week at Local 1000 my time was focused on preparations
for our Board of Directors Meeting. After presentations and
thoughtful discussion, our Board adopted a budget for 2023 with
overwhelming Director support. This budget ensures that we have
resources dedicated to support our Contract Campaign efforts. I
begin work on the next Board meeting (March 17-19 in Sacramento)
as soon as the current meeting is complete. This will be our
first in person meeting in three years. Directors who
choose to participate virtually will also be accommodated.
- We’re pleased to welcome another staff person on loan from SEIU International, Nina Schulman. Nina is joining us as the Executive Director. She brings us vast experience in public sector and labor campaigns which will benefit us greatly during our upcoming bargaining battle. In her role, she will be working with our Directors, the Vice Presidents and myself. Our focus is on building membership, power, and attention to our 2023 contract campaign.
I’ll close by thanking all of you for the civility that was on full display this past weekend at our Board of Directors meeting. I appreciate the hard work all of you are doing to help move Local 1000 forward.
William (Bill) Hall
Board Chair, SEIU Local 1000
bhall@seiu1000.org