FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 27
Contact: Andrew Baker, andrew.baker@seiu521.org, 510-990-2197
Valerie Prigent, valerie.prigent@seiu521.org, 408-571-9894
SEIU members in Silicon Valley 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
San Jose, Calif.– Members of SEIU Local 521 in San Jose joined working people 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 wealthy special interests seeking to divide them, SEIU members remain dedicated to sticking together, uniting working people of all races in unions and holding politicians accountable for creating more good, union jobs.
“Nothing’s going to stop my co-workers and me from fighting for good, union jobs and quality in the services we provide as public health nurses in Santa Clara County,” said Marilyn Mara, Public Health Nurse and member of SEIU Local 521. “As Public Health Nurses, we are the first responders in the case of an outbreak of an illness. We’ve won improved working conditions which translates to better preventative work in our communities, saving lives and taxpayer money. We’re proud to stand strong with working people of all races across California and the nation. Together we rise!”
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, whether white, Black or brown, are organizing to win their unions and are also using the hashtag to publicly call for more good, union jobs.
“Child Care providers like me want to be able to join together in a union, so that we can have a say in our working conditions, and improve the quality of the education we provide to the children we serve,” said Rita Guess, San Jose Family Child Care Provider. “We stand together with public service workers against this anti-union attack. We are more determined than ever to get the right to form a union.”
“It’s a dark day when the politics of the United States Supreme Court departs from the needs of working families. This decision is a threat to the entire labor movement, which is the last frontier for protecting wages and benefits in this country,” said Supervisor Cindy Chavez.
“We need more good union jobs if we want to rebuild the middle class, not decisions like Janus that hurt working families,” said Ben Field, Executive Officer of the South Bay Labor Council.
“Instead of trying to divide working people and undermine their ability to come together, our country should be supporting the movement to provide good jobs that can support a family,” said Derecka Mehrens, Executive Director for Working Partnerships USA. “Working Partnerships USA will continue to stand with working people and their unions to help build a strong and prosperous middle class.”
SEIU members, Family Child Care Providers, allies and Union activists know that when working men and women join together in a 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.
