2020 Year in Review, Part Four: Standing Strong During the Pandemic

As we look back at an unforgettable year, one thing remained constant: Local 1000 stood strong as a union despite challenging circumstances.

Responding to our members in changing times, we increased our communications and kept our promise to provide real representation and protect our hard-earned rights, and to help keep our members safe at work.

Contact Tracing

In May, the governor asked for 10,000 state employees to be redirected to this important effort to combat COVID-19. The union refused to look at this as a temporary assignment, and negotiated an agreement that included out-of-class pay and experience credit at the Staff Services Analyst level, bilingual pay, and a host of other protections for our members doing critical work.

Statewide Health and Safety Grievance

CDCR and CCHCS were at the center of the COVID storm and our ongoing fight to ensure the safety of our members in those facilities.

While discussing the possible resolution of the statewide health and safety grievance, we successfully addressed serious issues that had not been resolved at the local levels. Although management at headquarters did not always agree with what we proposed, they appeared to take the proposals seriously. Through discussions, we were able to push for better communication at the local institutions to empower our stewards to raise concerns with management.

Our stewards and member leaders were—and still remain—critical in the ongoing response, both for their strength and resiliency on the job during this time, as well as how they led our efforts to improve conditions for everyone.

Political Engagement

In the most important election of our lifetime, our members showed up in the fight for our democracy. The pandemic brought with it some unique challenges, but our members helped make the difference in electing progressive lawmakers—including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris—while fighting to pass important ballot initiatives. Hundreds of members stepped up and took part in text and phone banks, and sent a resounding message to their communities that, for Local 1000, politics matter.