The troubled economy. The challenges of building a strong union. One year to come together to win new contracts for 68,000 of our members in L.A., Riverside, and Ventura counties.

That’s what SEIU 721 members tackled at our first-ever regional bargaining conference on Saturday, Nov. 22.

Hundreds of members took two important steps to face these challenges:

 Learned about the economic crisis and our plan to win support for public services in the first 100 days of the Obama administration.

 Voted on a package of basic rights and baseline standards that we’ll fight for next year. These standards will be a framework for our specific issues, and we won’t settle a contract that doesn’t satisfy them. The first standards - on stewards rights, a health-care floor, and fairness on the job - were approved almost unanimously after spirited discussion. Full list of standards below.

Even in tough times, unions that have put standards at the center of bargaining and have stood by them have made incredible progress. That’s because we know what we stand for, and we know how we’ll get there.
- Bob Schoonover, LA City member and SEIU 721 Vice President

The economic crisis has increased pressures on public services. In the face of foreclosures, unemployment, and loss of health care, people need us more than ever. "Unlike other levels of government, demand for services increases exponentially as revenues decrease," one of L.A. County’s top elected leaders told the Los Angeles Times.

Take responsibility for your contract What you can do now to get ready for 2009
Be a resource to your co-workers: Join the Contract Action Team and help your co-workers get ready for bargaining

Speak your mind: Fill out a bargaining survey. Bargaining surveys are available now in Riverside and will be mailed shortly to all members in L.A., Ventura, and our cities and districts.

Riverside: Download a bargaining survey and sign up for the action team
LA: Download a bargaining survey and sign up for the action team
Ventura: Bargaining surveys go out early 2009

Setting Standards for Success Here's the full list of Bargaining Standards approved by SEIU 721 members on Nov. 22

Wages • Wages that lead the market for public sector workers, and livable wage protections for all our members.
• Job matching

Health Protection • Fully employer-paid family coverage health insurance

Retirement with Dignity • Defined benefit pension plan • Retiree health insurance
Job Security and Fairness on the Job • Seniority rights and protections against layoffs
• Limits to contracting out/ contracting work back in
• Binding arbitration including on staffing issues
  Building Our Union Defends Our Standards • Union security/agency shop
• Steward rights (representation on work time and release/union lost time)
• Activist/CAT rights on the job and union lost time • Right to organize other workers with no employer interference
• Release time for Executive Board members to attend meeting so it includes the entire workday shift

Funding Services / COPE • Partnership with employers to support our communities
• Special agreements to pioneer the defense and development of quality services for our communities

Members attending SEIU's first-ever Bargaining Conference on Nov. 22 spoke about the challenges we're facing in 2009, and how we can get ready now for successful bargaining. 

"If we’re not successful in getting our country moving ahead, what are we going to be bargaining over? The 100 days of change is our contract campaign, part one." - Arnella Sims, LA County
 
"We are a powerful group, and we can be more powerful. As public employees we can set a standard for the rest of the state. We want to step up. We are not going to give back anything." - Catherine Eide Nelson, Riverside County

"What an incredible event.  I saw a lot of unity and member involvement." - Marianne Robles, City of Oxnard

"The stewards are the backbone of the union, and we must strengthen stewards’ rights, because that’s the only way we can strengthen members’ rights. When we fight for and defend our stewards, we build our union.”- Keenan Sheedy, LA County

“A lot of people don’t realize how the Inland Empire is going to grow—and we’re going to need all the help we can get. There’s a downturn now, but that’s going to change. I’m hoping to see all these locals have a sense of unification.”- Paul Dearden, Coachella Valley Water District

"These standards are bringing ground rules and uniformity. You try to get the core that benefits everyone – then you can identify what issues have not been addressed. This will show management that we have unity. This is a real change." - Marilyn Shepherd-Leake, LA County

"We have big goals. We want to have one CAT team member for every 10 members – 600 total. We want to be flexible and get everyone participating as soon as possible." - Eric Mummert, Riverside County