FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 27
Contact: Victor Gamiz
victor.gamiz@seiu521.org | 602-335-9282
Onsite Contact: Rob England
rob.england@seiu521.org | 661-364-7101
SEIU members in Bakersfield vow to stick together: “No Court case will stand in our way”
Redouble efforts to unite more working people in unions, hold politicians accountable for creating good, union jobs.
Bakersfield, Calif. – Members of SEIU Local 521 in Bakersfield joined their brothers and sisters across the country today to declare their resolve to stick together in their union. Even though the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a long-expected decision in the Janus case that was backed by anti-worker extremists seeking to divide them, SEIU members remain dedicated to sticking together, uniting more working people—white, black and brown—in unions and holding politicians accountable for creating more good, union jobs.
“Nothing’s going to stop my co-workers and I from fighting for good, union jobs. Workers who are respected in the workplace provide better service in the community. Thriving communities are better for all people, not just union members. For the good of our community, we must not let billionaires and corporate interest divide us” said, Sonia Chagollan, Human Services Supervisor for Kern County and SEIU Local 521 member.
SEIU Local 521 members will be using #WeRise on social media to show their unity in the face of the Supreme Court’s decision. Working people who are organizing to win their unions are also using the hashtag to publicly call for more good, union jobs.
“I want the working people of Kern to know that I am against this attempt to use the highest court in the land to further rig the rules of the economy,” said Arvin Mayor Jose Gurrola. “Instead of trying to make it more difficult for working people to use their power in numbers, we should be making it easier to join together in unions. I will do everything I can do to help Kern County Workers join together in Unions.”
SEIU members, Family Child Care Providers, allies and Union activists know that when working men and women join together in union, they gain the power in numbers to raise wages, win affordable healthcare and make a dignified retirement possible.
“Today’s US Supreme Court decision in Janus v. AFSCME further rigs the rules of the economy in favor of the wealthy special interests who want to divide us against each other. Despite this decision, SEIU 521 members are committed to standing together in our union to negotiate a fair return on our work while protecting and expanding the good, middle-class union jobs that all of America needs,” said Riko Mendez, Chief Elected Officer of SEIU Local 521. “Working people whether white, black, or brown will join together across racial differences to fight for our future, just like we won better wages, safer workplaces, and civil rights in our past. For California to be a place of freedom for all, we cannot let the greedy few and the politicians they pay for divide us against each other.”
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Service Employees International Union, Local 521 represents 40,000 public- and nonprofit, private-sector workers in the California’s central Bay Area region and in the Central Valley. Under a Community First vision, we are committed to making sure the needs of our community, and the vital services we provide our community, come first. We believe our communities thrive when residents, leaders, and workers recognize that we are all in this together when it comes to our safety, health, and well-being.
