Keeping Our Commitments
Message from the President

In 2014, we made a difference.  We fulfilled our promises. We stayed true to our Purpose Statement. In December of 2013, several hundred of us met in San Diego and we pledged to use our collective power to defend the rights of state workers on the job and to fight for fair wages and retirement security for all. Over the last year, we have vigorously enforced our contract rights at every level, and we received our two percent wage increase in July. Moreover, we continued to lead SB 1234 oversight efforts through our participation on the Secure Choice Retirement Investment Board.

A year ago we committed to reaching out in our communities and across the state to build alliances that will strengthen the middle class. We have been working closely with community-based economic justice organizations fighting for $15 and a union for low-wage workers. In the Central Valley, Local 1000 has been working to promote jobs and training opportunities around the high-speed rail project with a broad array of faith groups in the area.

A year ago we also rededicated ourselves to building political power. Through the hard work of our members, we were able to elect Theresa Taylor to the CalPERS board in October of this year and followed that with Betty Yee’s general election victory for State Controller and Kevin McCarty’s win in Assembly District 7. In all, SEIU-endorsed candidates won in over 80 percent of their races. That’s a record we can be proud of.

While we can rightfully celebrate our victories in 2014, we have many looming challenges in 2015 and 2016.  In many other states, working families suffered setbacks. A powerful, well-funded movement is working to undermine organized labor and legal protections for working people nationally and in many states, including California.

We will prepare for these challenges by doing what we do best: organizing.  We did a great job of organizing in 2014, and we will do even better work in 2015 because we must grow stronger in order to succeed.

As we bid 2014 farewell, we can be confident about our record of achievement. There is no doubt–when we are united–we can accomplish great things.

In Solidarity,
Yvonne R. Walker, 
President Local 1000