(Sacramento) – Bill A. Lloyd, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California issued the following statement today.  

“In a year of devastating cuts to healthcare and other vital services, we are pleased that the legislature and the Governor took the necessary steps to secure additional federal funding for hospitals. AB 1383 (Jones) will bring billions to California’s healthcare system and help hospitals throughout the state continue to serve their communities.  We are proud to have worked with Assemblymember Dave Jones to the build broad support necessary to pass this crucial measure.    

“Hospital safety also received a boost with AB 1083 (J. Perez), which will make hospitals safer for health care workers and those they serve.  

“We are disappointed, however, that Schwarzenegger vetoed two measures to increase government accountability. AB 756 (Eng) would have shed light on costly state contracts, and SB 218 (Yee) would have made state colleges and universities more transparent, at a time when student fees are skyrocketing, even while administrators are paid more. Now, more than ever, Californians deserve an accountable and transparent government.”


 SEIU California is a coalition of over 700,000 janitors, social workers, security officers, homecare workers, cafeteria workers, nurses and various classifications of city, county and state employees represented by SEIU local unions throughout California. They come together to build a better California by fighting to pass policies and elect candidates that fight for the issues working men and women care about such as affordable healthcare, good wages, a means to a good retirement, a healthy environment, education and stronger communities. They believe that by working together we can build a California that all working families can once again thrive in.