Two SoCal DMV Offices Reach 100% Union Membership

Article Published on May 19, 2023

Workers at two DMV offices in Southern California are stepping up to make a stronger union in a big way: 100% union membership!

Just over 70 DMV workers in Long Beach and Torrance have come together to make a difference in their working conditions and to stand together for a contract that we can all be proud of.

“DMV has a long history of union activism and a high level of engagement,” says Tonya Bealey, a Local 1000 Field Representative who came to the union after 28 years in state service at DMV. “This isn’t just about a contract; it’s how these members are making positive change in their office every day.”

For many Californians, DMV is the public face of state service, and workloads are high. Facing the challenge of a vacancy rate approaching 25% and a high-stress workplace often made worse by bad management, these workers are “all in.”

“Our strength comes from everyone taking responsibility for improvement,” says Bealey. “We’re constantly organizing and educating members on how to deal with a bad manager. We conduct ‘know your rights’ meetings during lunches. We speak to all of the members concerns: set up/shut down time, schedule changes, bullying and violence in the workplace, and a radical shift in working with customers in a digital age.”

At Torrance and Long Beach, and at many of the DMV offices across the state, employees are dedicated to being part of the Union. They remember what it was like to be a state worker during the Schwarzenegger administration, and they remember a huge DMV reclassification win in 2013 that brought current job specifications—and pay scales—current after being untouched for 30 years.

“We demonstrated the power of union membership then, and we’re proving it again now,” said Tonya Bealey. “Relationships among workers is key. It’s how we build momentum to keep winning the respect we deserve.”

DMV/Torrance and Long Beach actively recruit new hires to become members and to help each other deal with the daily challenges of a busy office.

“We’re proving every day that ‘Stronger Together’ isn’t just a slogan. We’re making a difference in the day-to-day working conditions of DMV employees,” added Bealey.

Join us! Click here to learn more about all the benefits of becoming a member of Local 1000.