As we prepare to return to the bargaining table in 2023, Union membership is more important than ever. Research supports what we have always known to be true — Unions improve and protect wages and working conditions for all workers. As a result, Local 1000 represented workers have more job safety protections, more paid leave, and are more secure exercising their rights in the workplace.  As we continue to grow our membership, a new law — SB 931 — puts real penalties in place when public employers are undeterred from violating their employees’ rights to organize. It’s also important to recognize the role our labor allies at the SEIU State Council and California Labor Federation played in demanding that the Legislature provide meaningful consequences for these bad faith actions.

SB 931 prohibits a public employer from deterring or discouraging public employees or applicants from becoming or remaining members of an employee organization.  Government Code section further 3550 permits a Union to file a claim at the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB). And PERB may now issue significant fines against the employer ($1,000 per affected employee, not to exceed $100,000) and award attorney’s fees and costs to a prevailing Union.  Together, these new rights leave Local 1000 well-positioned to protect our workers.

  • I want to recognize the accomplishments of our Union’s elected Board of Directors at our regularly scheduled meeting December 3rd and 4th.  On Saturday, the Board heard Department presentations in the morning and engaged in our Human Rights Committee meetings in the afternoon.   Sunday began with an Executive Session and moved 2023 Budget Finance report and presentation.  The Board of Directors worked collectively to pass the 2023-operating budget, clear all business on the agenda, and ratify the selection of the members for the Committee on the Future of Local 1000.
     
  • To help bring cohesive structure and leadership for our bargaining efforts, the Board of Directors also ratified the vote of the Bargaining Unit Chairs, approving Vice President for Bargaining Irene Green as the Master Table spokesperson for our 2023 contract negotiations.  Our next scheduled Board of Directors meeting is in person in Sacramento, March 17-19. There will also be a hybrid option.
     
  • On Monday, December 5, our leadership team – Vice President for Organizing/Representation Anica Walls, Vice President for Bargaining Irene Green, Vice President Secretary-Treasurer David Jimenez, and myself — with support from our political team — spent the day developing relationships with key Senate and Assembly members.  We will need their support in our Contract Campaign.
     
  • On Tuesday, I participated in the SEIU State Council Meeting for the California Healthcare Industry.  After listening and learning about their issues, concerns, and frustrations, I spoke about the issues our members have working for the State. These include our nurses, dental assistants, and LVN’s, who work for lower wages than other private sector counterparts. Many other issues were also shared, such as being mandated for overtime, working conditions, and unreasonable employers and managers.  Our Political Department followed up by securing the support of the California Labor Federation for our 2023 contract negotiations.
     
  • On Wednesday, I returned to my state job at Caltrans in Oakland.
     
  • On Thursday, Executive Director Nina Schulman and I spent the morning moving forward with staff planning related to our 2023 Contract Campaign.  The afternoon was spent on a Public Sector Planning session with SEIU State Council.  This is the first step in making our 2023 contract a top priority.
     
  • Finally, on Friday, after leadership development work for myself, we held a meeting with the Contract Campaign Planning Group, followed by an interview for the consultant for the Committee on the Future.  VP Secretary–Treasurer Jimenez and I both agreed on hiring the same consultant after speaking with him for over an hour via Zoom. 

I’m very encouraged with the work we are doing.  We have the talent and the leadership needed within our ranks to build our membership and secure a great contract in 2023.
Together we will succeed.

 

 

 

 

William (Bill) Hall
Board Chair, SEIU Local 1000
[email protected]