2024 SEIU International Convention – Recap

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The Power We Felt At Our International Convention in Philadelphia – Published June 3, 2024

By Mullissa Willette, SEIU 521 President & Riko Mendez, SEIU 521 Chief Elected Officer

Every time we get to represent this union—our union, and our members from across the Central Valley, Bay Area, and Coast—we are filled with pride and responsibility. But when we’re joined by more than 40 fellow members representing each region of our union, the feeling turns to inspiration and tremendous empowerment; this is how we would explain what we felt last week in Philadelphia at the 2024 Quadrennial SEIU International Convention.

SEIU 521 makes up part of the 2 million+ members of SEIU International—the fastest-growing and second-largest union in the entire United States! Over three days, our elected SEIU 521 delegation joined more than 3,000 delegates from across the country in Philadelphia to set the vision for growing worker power in the next decade, including organizing ONE MILLION new members to join SEIU by 2034. 

Our SEIU 521 delegation truly reflected our diverse workforce. Our solidarity reverberated through our pride in representing all our fellow union siblings. From school district members at Fresno Unified, Santa Clara Office of Ed, and Cupertino, to county workers from Santa Clara, Fresno, Kern, San Mateo, Monterey, and Stanislaus, Child Care Providers United, retiree, non-profit, VTA, and Kern Medical members, the voices of our members were loud and clear in the streets of Philadelphia.

💜 We Marched, We Honored, & We Made History! 💜

To win the future we want for all our families, we cannot forget our past, and all the work and sacrifice it’s taken us to get here. We will continue to count on each other. And there’s nothing SEIU members do better than making sure we’re heard! Our delegation was inspired to join thousands of other delegates and the Philly community to tell the nation that we unapologetically believe in UNIONS FOR ALL! 

In the spirit of committing to the future, we were reminded at the convention of those who always stood with us in our fight for good. It was our great honor to remember those lost to the pandemic since 2020 while recommitting to fighting in their memory. 

This union, our union – we make history! 

A bold inclusive vision for all requires bold and proven leaders to guide our union into the future. We were incredibly honored to elect California’s very own April Verrett to serve as the new SEIU International President—the first Black woman elected to this position and Rocio Saenz, the first Latina elected to serve as Secretary-Treasurer, both firsts in SEIU’s 102-year history. 

As President, I was proud to join our SEIU 521 delegation in re-electing our SEIU Local 521 Chief Elected Officer, Riko Mendez to the SEIU International Executive Board. 

We know that through April, Rocio, and Riko’s leadership, working families will continue to lead our country to new horizons and grow worker power. Congratulations, April, Rocio, and Riko! 

2 million members strong nationwide, and more than 45,000 across our union SEIU 521 here in California – this is real collective power. We can win the contracts, raises, and benefits we deserve when we come together. It all starts with stepping into our union, becoming a member, and building a movement of worker power throughout our chapters. 

Reflecting on our convention experience and time spent with our union siblings, we are reminded that we already have the power to make the change we want to see – it’s up to us to organize together and fight for what we deserve. 

Our collective power is the reason we have a seat at the table. We’re proud to share a few additional highlights that were made possible through the strength of unity and power of this union, our union! 

✨Union Power Convention Highlights✨

✅ Keynote Speakers – Vice President Kamala Harris & Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau
✅ SEIU 521 Child Care Providers United member Nancy Harvey’s recognition 
✅ Official launch of the first Indigenous Peoples Caucus
✅ SEIU resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza and peace in the Middle East
✅ Language justice recognition of 15 languages throughout the convention 
✅ The Roots (band) in solidarity for Unions For All 

We are hopeful for the future and are committed more than ever to stand side by side with you as we fight together to win for working families. 

In solidarity always, 

Mullissa Willette, SEIU 521 President
Riko Mendez, SEIU 521 Chief Elected Officer, SEIU International Executive Board Member

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The 2024 SEIU International Convention will be a historic gathering of America’s service workforce as we enter into the 2024 Presidential Election. SEIU members from across the country will congregate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to debate and vote on the convention resolutions that will guide our Union’s work over the next 4 years. As a convention delegate, you will have the opportunity to represent the interests of the more than 50,000 SEIU Local 521 members across California. 

Every elected delegate will be expected to help implement the resolutions adopted at the 2024 SEIU International Convention. 

All members of SEIU Local 521 who have been members of SEIU Local 521 in good standing, with no lapse in dues for a total of two years, are eligible for nomination and election to be a delegate to the convention in Philadelphia from May 20 – May 22, 2024, with travel taking place on May 19.

2024 SEIU Local 521 Delegate Results

The election of SEIU Local 521 Delegates concluded on Friday, April 12, 2024. The vote count was conducted in person and officially certified by the SEIU Local 521 Elections Committee on Saturday, April 13 at the SEIU Local 521 Headquarters in San Jose. 

The SEIU Local 521 Elections Committee hereby certifies the following SEIU Local 521 members have been elected to serve as Delegates to the 2024 SEIU International Convention in Philadelphia, PA from May 20 – May 22, 2024. 

2024 ELECTED DELEGATES

EXECUTIVE BOARD OFFICER DELEGATES AUTOMATICALLY SEATED

2024 SEIU Local 521 Delegate Nominees

Delegate Nomination & Election Timeline

• Nominations will be open from February 12 to March 13, 2024. (Nominations Have Closed)
• Delegate election will take place from April 8 to April 12, 2024

Important Election Notices:

• All active full dues-paying members are eligible to cast a vote for a Delegate Candidate during the election period. Download the complete voting schedule and list of member Delegate Candidates by clicking here.  
• All Child Care Providers United members, and members who reside in Region 3 (Stanislaus, Mariposa, and Tuolumne Counties), and any member living greater than 50 miles from the nearest voting location will receive a mail ballot. Mail ballot packets will include instructions on how to return your ballot. If you have any questions, please contact your nearby SEIU 521 office. Full list of offices available here. 

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Resultados de delegados de SEIU Local 521 2024

La elección de los delegados del Local 521 de SEIU concluyó el viernes 12 de abril de 2024. El conteo de votos se realizó en persona y fue certificado oficialmente por el Comité Electoral del Local 521 de SEIU el sábado 13 de abril en la sede del Local 521 de SEIU en San José.

El Comité de Elecciones del Local 521 de SEIU certifica por la presente que los siguientes miembros del Local 521 de SEIU han sido elegidos para servir como Delegados a la Convención Internacional de SEIU 2024 en Filadelfia, PA, del 20 al 22 de mayo de 2024.

Cronograma de nominación y elección de delegados

• Las nominaciones estarán abiertas del 12 de febrero al 13 de marzo de 2024. (Las nominaciones han cerrado)
• La elección de delegados se llevará a cabo del 8 al 12 de abril de 2024.

Avisos electorales importantes:

• Todos los miembros activos que pagan cuotas completas son elegibles para emitir un voto por un candidato a delegado durante el período de elección.
• Todos los miembros de Child Care Providers United y los miembros que residen en la Región 3 (condados de Stanislaus, Mariposa y Tuolumne) y cualquier miembro que viva a más de 50 millas del lugar de votación más cercano recibirán una boleta por correo. Los paquetes de boleta por correo incluirán instrucciones sobre cómo devolver su boleta. Si tiene alguna pregunta, comuníquese con la oficina SEIU 521 más cercana.

La Convención Internacional SEIU de 2024 será una reunión histórica de la fuerza laboral de servicios de Estados Unidos a medida que ingresamos a las elecciones presidenciales de 2024. Los miembros de SEIU de todo el país se congregarán en Filadelfia, Pensilvania, para debatir y votar las resoluciones de la convención que guiarán el trabajo de nuestra Unión durante los próximos 4 años. Como delegado de la convención, tendrá la oportunidad de representar los intereses de los más de 50.000 miembros del Local 521 de SEIU en todo el estado de California.

Se espera que cada delegado electo ayude a implementar las resoluciones adoptadas en la Convención Internacional SEIU de 2024. Todos los miembros del Local 521 de SEIU que hayan sido miembros del Local 521 de SEIU con buena reputación, sin interrupción en las cuotas durante un total de dos años, son elegibles para la nominación y elección para ser delegados a la convención en Filadelfia del 20 al 22 de mayo. , y el viaje se realizará el 19 de mayo.