The election is done and the results are in: Members of BU 500 voted to keep their union and stay with SEIU 721.
The vote count took place starting this morning at the LA County Sanitation District headquarters in the City of Industry. Votes from workers at solid waste facilities and water treatment plants – from the Antelope Valley to the San Gabriel Valley and all the way to the beach – were amassed and counted by early this afternoon.
A major issue compelling LA County Sanitation District workers to stick with SEIU 721: Health benefits. Our union remains stalwart in the fight not just for competitive salaries but also for high-quality healthcare plans in BU 500 contracts – features pointedly absent in the vast majority of non-union, private sector sanitation jobs.
“We deliver the kinds of good jobs you can raise a family on because SEIU 721 delivers good contracts you can count on,” said Bob Schoonover, President of SEIU 721. “It reaffirms a trend we’re seeing nationwide: Workers know that if they want a strong contract, they need a strong union.”
BU 500 member leaders felt pleased that the unit achieved such a pivotal and positive milestone.
“It’s a good day for us,” said Ruben Rios, Chief Shop Steward and a Sr. Grounds Maintenance Worker at the Puente Hills Landfill. “The LA County Sanitation Districts can’t run without blue collar. BU 500 knows it.”
Member leaders also expressed optimism about the challenges ahead for the unit.
“Members can see we are stronger together and that we’ve got to stick with our union,” said Omarr Doxey, a Maintenance Construction Worker at the Puente Hills Landfill. “The more we work with our union, the more our union works for us.”
Click here to view more photos from today’s vote.
Way to Go! Big Win!