Sacramento, CA – The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California today announced the results of its town hall endorsement process in several Congressional, State Senate and Assembly races. In SEIU’s town hall process, members evaluate candidates’ policy positions, listen to them speak, interview them, and then make their decisions. The town halls are open to all members in each district.

Endorsements announced today were as follows:

State Assembly

• AD 11 Jim Frazier
• AD 19 Phil Ting
• AD 21 Adam Gray
• AD 29 Mark Stone
• AD 41 Chris Holden
• AD 46 Adrin Nazarian
• AD 49 Ed Chau
• AD 51 Arturo Chavez, Jimmy Gomez
• AD 58 Luis Marquez
• AD 59 Reggie Jones-Sawyer
• AD 63 Anthony Rendon
• AD 66 Al Maratsuchi
• AD 10 Michael Allen
• AD 30 Luis Alejo

State Senate

• SD 17 Bill Monning
• SD 19 Hannah Beth Jackson
• SD 33 Ricardo Lara
• SD 25 Incumbent Carol Liu

Congress

• CD 29 Tony Cardenas
• CD 47 Alan Lowenthal

Previous SEIU endorsements can be found here. As more member-driven town halls take place in the coming weeks, SEIU California expects to announce additional endorsements.

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SEIU California is a coalition of over 700,000 janitors, social workers, security officers, home care workers, school and university employees, healthcare workers, and city, county and state employees represented by SEIU local unions throughout California. We come together to build a better California by fighting to pass policies and elect candidates that benefit working families and advance the issues we care about: affordable healthcare, good wages, retirement security for all, a healthy environment, good schools and universities, and stronger communities. We believe that by working together we can build a California where working families can thrive again.

Sacramento, CA – The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California today announced the results of its town hall endorsement process in 10 Congressional, State Senate and Assembly races. In SEIU’s town hall process, members evaluate candidates’ policy positions, listen to them speak, interview them, and then make their decisions. The town halls are open to all members in each district.

“Working Californians need representatives who will stand up for us and our families instead of big corporations and the wealthy,” said Marion Taylor, an in-home care provider from Alameda County. “We chose these candidates carefully. We looked at their positions, heard them speak, interviewed them, and then made our decision. They are the men and women we believe will fight for working families.”

Assembly

• AD 12 No Endorsement
• AD 13 Xochitl Paredes
• AD 18 Rob Bonta, Abel Guillen, Joel Young
• AD 20 Bill Quirk
• AD 32 Rudy Salas
• AD 34 Mari Goodman

Senate

• SD 5 Cathleen Galgiani

Congressional

• CD 2 Jared Huffman, Susan Adams, Norman Solomon
• CD 7 Ami Bera
• CD 10 Jose Hernandez

As more member-driven town halls take place in the coming weeks, SEIU California expects to announce additional endorsements.

SEIU California is a coalition of over 700,000 janitors, social workers, security officers, home care workers, school and university employees, healthcare workers, and city, county and state employees represented by SEIU local unions throughout California. We come together to build a better California by fighting to pass policies and elect candidates that benefit working families and advance the issues we care about: affordable healthcare, good wages, retirement security for all, a healthy environment, good schools and universities, and stronger communities. We believe that by working together we can build a California where working families can thrive again.

SACRAMENTO, CA – The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California released the following statement from SEIU member Debbi Pearson, a court worker, upon the Assembly’s passage today of AB 1208 [Calderon]:

“Court workers applaud the State Assembly’s passage of AB 1208, a bill needed to reign in wasteful spending within the Administrative Office of the Courts by moving spending decisions out of the hands of an unaccountable bureaucracy and closer to the local trial courts that are the heart of California’s justice system.

“The AOC has lost sight of our justice system’s priorities, misspending billions on poorly managed IT and construction projects and gold-plated perks for top officials. Restoring balance in trial court funding is the only way to keep courtrooms open to families and businesses seeking justice and to repair the trust the AOC has broken with taxpayers and the public.

“A fair and accessible justice system is a hallmark of a civil society and an economic imperative for California. Now, the Senate must act to restore justice as our courts’ top priority by passing AB 1208.”

Over 700,000 Californians make up SEIU in California; we work throughout the state, in all 58 counties, and we represent California in all of its diversity. We are social workers, nurses, classroom aides, state workers, security officers, college professors, home care workers, janitors, and more.

“Judge Wilken’s ruling affirms what long-term caregivers have long known: the in-home care services we provide are the most compassionate option for frail seniors and people with disabilities and the best alternative to costly institutionalization.

“Unfortunately, seniors and people with disabilities have been the target of state budget cuts time and time again, putting their independence and health in jeopardy. This year is no different. Even as this case is in court, a new state budget proposal was released that would illegally endanger the safety and independence of seniors and people with disabilities who need home care in order to live safely at home.

“Rather than subject our parents, grandparents and children with disabilities to an uncertain future year after year, we need to stabilize and strengthen long-term care for the most vulnerable Californians.”

A lawsuit was filed December 1, 2011 by senior and disability advocates to stop these devastating cuts to vital care from taking place.

SEIU California is a coalition of over 700,000 janitors, social workers, security officers, home care workers, school and university employees, healthcare workers, and city, county and state employees represented by SEIU local unions throughout California. We come together to build a better California by fighting to pass policies and elect candidates that benefit working families and advance the issues we care about: affordable healthcare, good wages, retirement security for all, a healthy environment, good schools and universities, and stronger communities. We believe that by working together we can build a California where working families can thrive again.

“We are very proud to endorse Howard Berman for Congress in the 30th Congressional District. He is a champion for working families as we struggle for good jobs, homes, and a brighter future for our children.

“Congressman Berman has been an extraordinary friend of working families in Congress for nearly three decades, and before that he fought for working people in his capacity as a California State Assemblymember and labor attorney.

“In the legislature and in the courtroom Congressman Berman has tirelessly promoted the rights of farm workers, building services workers, social workers, and state employees.

“We are going to work hard to send Congressman Berman back to Congress, because we have complete confidence that he will continue fighting for a fair economy that works for all of us, not just the wealthy and corporations.”

SEIU California is a coalition of over 700,000 janitors, social workers, security officers, home care workers, school and university employees, healthcare workers, and city, county and state employees represented by SEIU local unions throughout California. We come together to build a better California by fighting to pass policies and elect candidates that benefit working families and advance the issues we care about: affordable healthcare, good wages, retirement security for all, a healthy environment, good schools and universities, and stronger communities. We believe that by working together we can build a California where working families can thrive again.

SACRAMENTO, CA – SEIU California State Council released the following statement from Dave Regan, President of SEIU-UHW, in response to the Governor’s 2012-2013 proposed budget for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS).

“In-home care saves lives and taxpayer dollars. The State of California should make it a priority to keep seniors and people with disabilities healthy and safe in their own homes, rather than pushing them into more expensive nursing homes.

“Unfortunately, the Governor’s proposal includes devastating cuts that would do the opposite. Eliminating the personal care services for over 270,000 seniors and people with disabilities places their safety and health in peril and would mean lost jobs for in-home care providers. This is the wrong direction for long-term care in California.

“There is a better way. By improving our long-term care system, implementing greater coordination of care for IHSS recipients, letting consumers choose care at home rather than an institution, and making sure that these services work more effectively as an integral part of each individual’s health care, we can save hundreds of millions of dollars.

“While we stand against the budget cuts, we are optimistic about the Governor’s long term plans to reform IHSS and secure a stable revenue source for the state. Solutions like this are not only better for people in need of care but are also better for the state’s bottom line.

“We look forward to working with the Legislature and the Governor to craft a budget that will both save money and strengthen long-term care in California.”

Over 700,000 Californians make up SEIU in California; we work throughout the state, in all 58 counties, and we represent California in all of its diversity. We are social workers, nurses, classroom aides, state workers, security officers, college professors, home care workers, janitors, and more.

Sacramento, CA – The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California released the following statement from Laphonza Butler, President of SEIU ULTCW, the United Long Term Care Workers’ Union, on today’s announcement of trigger cuts:

“Trigger cuts are exactly the wrong medicine for a middle class that is shrinking and an economy that is still stalled, and Californians know it. Unfortunately, the intransigence of a minority of extremist legislators who refused to vote for revenue in the last budget is now forcing the state to make even more devastating cuts to schools, universities, working families, and seniors.

“There is something profoundly wrong with a political system in which a minority committed to representing a narrow set of interests time and again overrules the wishes of the majority. In 2012 we plan to break this cycle so we can once again invest in our children, take care of our seniors, and rebuild our state.

“It’s time for those who benefit the most from the investments we all make together to pay their fair share to help this state recover and start working for all of us again. Fortunately, in 2012, Californians will have the opportunity at the ballot box to break the political gridlock and secure much-needed new revenues.”

Over 700,000 Californians make up SEIU in California; we work throughout the state, in all 58 counties, and we represent California in all of its diversity. We are social workers, nurses, classroom aides, state workers, security officers, college professors, home care workers, janitors, and more.

OAKLAND, CA – Late yesterday afternoon United States District Court Judge Claudia A. Wilken issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) effective immediately that stops the state from proceeding with a 20 percent cut to the state’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program until the Court is able to hear the case on December 15, 2011.

The cuts of more than $100 million to the IHSS program are part of the state’s $700 million “trigger cuts” written into the 2011/12 state budget and passed under SB 73. The cuts, which would impact the care of an estimated 372,000 low-income California seniors and people with disabilities, were to be enacted on January 1, 2012, if state revenues didn’t meet projected earnings by mid December.

“Judge Wilken’s Temporary Restraining Order brings a sense of relief to California seniors and people with disabilities,” stated Laphonza Butler, president of SEIU United Long Term Care Workers (ULTCW). “This ruling means that our parents, grandparents, and children with disabilities who rely on the IHSS program to live safely at home will be able to get through the holidays without fear of losing their in-home care and being forced into institutions. It also means that there is a possibility of preventing these dangerous cuts to home care altogether.”

As stated in Judge Wilken’s findings, SB 73 raises serious questions of violations to Title XIX of the Social Security Act, the Medicaid Act, the American Disabilities Act and part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 by placing IHSS recipients at imminent risk of unnecessary and unwanted out-of-home placement. (download TRO at: http://ultcw.org/files/2011/12/TRO.pdf)

Although the TRO does not stop the cuts from taking place, it does prevent the state from moving forward with issuing a Notice of Action to IHSS recipients that would announce the IHSS cuts as taking place on January 1, 2012.

“If implemented, these trigger cuts to the IHSS program would place hundreds of thousands of fragile lives in jeopardy,” said Butler. “Every hour of in-home care taken away from our seniors and people with disabilities places them in danger of experiencing falls, breaking bones, not taking their medications, or even worse. We simply can’t balance our states budget on the backs of our most vulnerable residents. The consequences are too great.”

The request for the TRO was filed on December 1, 2011, along with a lawsuit by senior and disability advocates to stop these devastating cuts to vital care from taking place. The Court is scheduled to hear the case on December 15, 2011, at 2:00 pm in Oakland.

Over 700,000 Californians make up SEIU in California; we work throughout the state, in all 58 counties, and we represent California in all of its diversity. We are social workers, nurses, classroom aides, state workers, security officers, college professors, home care workers, janitors, and more.

“SEIU California stands firmly with the California Faculty Association as they plan a one day strike for November 17th. CFA members fight for students every day, and to deserve to be treated fairly and with respect. But CSU executives are demanding CFA members give up the modest pay increases they were promised – even though the average pay for faculty and staff hasn’t even kept up with inflation. Tuition has gone up and services have gone down, yet CSU continues to throw money away for executive salary increases and perks. That is wrong. That is why SEIU California stands with faculty, staff and students who are demanding CSU set the right priority – high-quality education for students.”