Statement on behalf of Bob Schoonover, President of SEIU Local 721:
“In the last 48 hours, the SEIU 721 bargaining team and our Fix LA community partners have finally witnessed some movement at the bargaining table. For that reason we have decided to not initiate a strike today. However, key issues for our members and the communities they serve must still be fully addressed.
Overwhelming 86% yes vote for a strike and full backing from community leaders and clergy allows 10,000 members to escalate their fight with rallying cry “Our Streets, Not Wall Street!”
The Santa Paula City Council voted to approve a contract extension and vacation buybacks.
What Happened?
After months of negotiating last year and after multiple trips to City Council meetings to present a case for why members should have the option to do vacation buybacks the Council finally voted to institute the buybacks.
SEIU 721 filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) suit against Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District because it wanted you to pay more into your retirement than is legally mandated. You fought back and this suit is moving forward.
The SEIU Local 721 Tri-Counties Regional Center (TCRC) bargaining team met with Center negotiators on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015, and reached a tentative agreement. Meetings were set up in all TCRC office cities to share the details of the tentative agreement and for members to vote on the agreement. Members voted overwhelmingly, by 95%, to ratify the tentative agreement.
The TCRC board met and approved the contract.
SEIU Local 721 members unanimously voted to approve a tentative agreement with Las Virgenes Municipal Water District on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014.
Striking Port of LA truck drivers are back at the bargaining table thanks to support from SEIU Local 721 City of Los Angeles workers and members of the Fix LA coalition. It was solidarity between labor, the community and faith organizations that helped pressure port management into resuming talks.
The Ventura County Employees’ Retirement Association (VCERA) board voted 6-2 on Nov. 18, 2014 to allow pensionable compensation to be calculated based on a worker’s monthly pay. Having pension pay based on monthly pay seems like an obvious path but the County of Ventura has a differing position, arguing for base pay only in seeking a super narrow view of what should count towards a pension.
The SEIU Local 721 Tri-Counties Regional Center (TCRC) bargaining team met with Center negotiators for the first time on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
SEIU Local 721 Latino Caucus leaders from Ventura, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties met in Ventura on Nov. 15, 2014 to celebrate recent victories and review upcoming plans to help fight for changes in our communities.