SEIU MEMBERS APPLAUD GOVERNOR GIVING WORKING MOMS & FAMILIES A BREAK

(May 10, 2021) – SEIU California released the following statement today upon the Governor’s announcement of substantial new investments in child care and in in-home caregivers’ opportunities for advancement. The following statement may be attributed to April Verrett, President of SEIU Local 2015 and Executive Board Member of SEIU California.

“Long before COVID, too many of California’s working Moms, especially Black and Brown women, faced daunting challenges: jobs that kept our families stuck in poverty and child care costs that took away up to 35% of our paychecks. The pandemic has put these problems on steroids, and millions of Californians have struggled to keep food on the table and a roof over our families’ heads, even as we brave dangers in our workplaces and pray that our children and elders will survive.

“Giving working families a better shot at stability is the smartest thing we can do to get this recovery on the right track. We call ourselves the Golden State, and for several hundred billionaires, that name rings true, but for millions of children in California, one in four of whom live in poverty, it is a cruel reminder of exclusion. It’s time to change that. 

“We applaud the Governor’s decision to invest in families and good jobs for caregivers; these are critical steps toward equity. It will pay off for all of us as we build an economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.”