Search: 07/2021
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From the Desk of Bill Hall
In an effort to promote transparency throughout our organization, SEIU Local 1000 provides the following information for your review.
Changing Minds
It’s been less than one month since I took office, and I’m already delivering on my platform by growing union membership and job site representation. But you would never know it by slanderous opinion pieces being passed off as investigative journalism. A 3,300 word diatribe has been held as the holy grail of insider information by many media outlets instead of the dumpster fire of journalistic misfeasance it represents.
Governor Newsom Cease and Desist
On July 28, I instructed the Local 1000 Chief Counsel to deliver a cease-and-desist letter to CalHR concerning a mandate the Governor delivered through a press conference on July 27. The method of delivery for this directive and the absence of any details gives us great cause for concern.
Essential workers premium pay letter
Eraina Ortega, Director CalHR
1515 S Street
North Building, Suite 500
Sacramento, CA 95811-7258
Re: Rewarding essential workers with premium pay
Dear Ms. Ortega:
The 10 bargaining units and nearly 100,000 employees represented by SEIU Local 1000 remained on the front lines throughout the pandemic, providing the vital services Californians expect. At a time when a trip to the grocery store was deemed unsafe, those employees accepted the risk to themselves and their families and served the public heroically.
Their extraordinary efforts deserve recognition, and compensation that reflects the hazards they faced while doing essential work.
Our represented health professionals—more than 10,000 registered nurses, LVNs, and CNAs—worked to maintain the health of our prison population and our veterans. Our custodians kept state offices sanitary and safe, and our prison cooks risked daily exposure to feed inmates.
Our EDD workforce helped strengthen California’s economy by processing millions of unemployment checks. Drivers were licensed, vehicles registered, and other critical public-facing services remained available.
The recently-signed state budget for FY ’21-22—which includes more than $27 billion in federal relief—has no direct provision to provide premium pay for essential workers, despite the intentions of the American Rescue Plan Act package that provided our state with these funds.
The U.S. Treasury’s public comment period on rules for spending these funds ends soon. As the federal government prepares its final guidance, it is necessary that Governor Newsom and CalHR do their work to establish the essential worker premium pay program.
It’s time to acknowledge those who performed essential work under constant threat of the potentially devastating impact of contracting COVID-19. Local 1000-represented employees help keep California healthy, safe, and strong. Reward these essential workers for their dedication with premium pay.
Thank you for your consideration.
Richard Louis Brown
President
SEIU Local 1000
Setting the Record Straight
Welcome! This will be a new and, most likely, long-running section of the Local 1000 Union Update newsletter.
For too long Local 1000 has been shrouded in opaqueness. This ends now. One of the main reasons for this policy change is to help inform the employees represented by this Union, because informed represented employees become engaged dues-paying members!
One of the last acts by outgoing President Walker, on June 30, was to not renew the full-time union leave for the Bargaining Unit Chairs. By ending their union leave, it automatically triggered a disabling of their email and by default impeded the ability of the statewide chairs to fulfill their duties.
The next day, July 1, this issue was brought to my attention during the first steward call. Upon receiving this information BU Chairs were given immediate and full access to their email.
Despite many stories, it wasn’t me who canceled union leave or denied BU Chairs access to their email.
Much of this confusion could have been avoided had the outgoing President made an honorable effort at a smooth transition instead of waiting until the eleventh hour to hand over the reins.
This sets the record straight.
Richard Louis Brown
President
SEIU Local 1000
Common Ground Nowhere to Be Found
From the desk of President Brown
On Tuesday, July 6, President Richard Louis Brown called the first emergency council meeting of the Board of Directors (BOD) under his leadership. On the agenda were two proposals; one, granting full-time union leave for the three statewide vice presidents and, two, providing financial support for our union brothers and sisters working at the California Correctional Center (CCC) in Susanville.
API Organizing Leadership Program
-
API Organizing Leader Program 2021 Culmination
Report- a comprehensive report of the program, the
timeline, lessons learned and quotes as testimonials about the
program. This will be e-mailed to MKH to show her what the
program did.
-
2021
API Cohort “I am” Poems - a collection of poems from
our API Organizing Leaders. These will be mailed out to
participants.
- Congrats API Leaders .gif, the graduation pics w/ MKH and Maria as speakers!
Irene Green
Vice President for Bargaining
Irene Green, a long-time member leader of SEIU Local 1000, was sworn in to her new post on August 29, 2021, as the statewide Vice President for Bargaining.
Green has been in state service for more than 12 years, all at the Employment Development Department. She’s an Employment Program Representative, working to ensure that California’s unemployed residents receive their benefits and helping them get back to work.
She became an activist early on, when the then-Governor Schwarzenegger imposed a total of three furlough days on state workers. Motivated to make change, she became an SEIU Local 1000 Job Steward, and in 2012 was appointed as a Unit 1 District Bargaining Unit Representative.
In 2016, Irene was elected to the bargaining team, our Bargaining Unit Negotiating Committee (BUNC). As a BUNC member, she participated in contract negotiations in 2016 and again in 2019. It was there she experienced the tenacity and fortitude that characterizes the member leaders who bargain our contracts.
“I’m looking forward to building a strong bargaining team for our next round at the table,” Irene added. “I want to help members engage in the process to ensure we meet our goals and achieve the best possible outcome.”
Irene is married to Vincent Green, a fellow state worker and member of the Unit 1 BUNC. More than a union leader, Irene is a community activist. After her daughter took her own life due to mental health issues, she has focused her passion advocating for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, working to pass legislation and speaking to children in schools about the issue.
DLC 771 Grizzlies Game
Come join us at the ballpark!
DLC 771 is hosting a Meet-and-Greet at the Fresno Grizzlies game on Friday, August 6, 2021, at 6:50 p.m.
Members will receive a ticket for themselves plus one, if needed.
Additional tickets can be purchased at a discounted rate through the Grizzlies if you let them know you are with SEIU Local 1000.
Members must RSVP to DLC 771 President Tommy Rico at trico60@hotmail.com or text to 559.707.5680 no later than Wednesday, July 28.