SEIU tells Alameda County to ‘staff up,’ as more than 2,000 vacancies weigh on workers

SEIU rally

Over 300 public service workers marched from the Lake Merritt Amphitheater to the Alameda County Administration Building Monday, demanding that county officials fill thousands of vacant positions.  “Staff up Alameda County. Alameda County staff up!” chanted members of Service Employees International Union, which represents about 4,200 county workers.  The picketers included nurses, clerical and library…

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Oakland Unified School District plans to eliminate 100 classified workers’ positions

Classified workers represented by SEIU were on the picket lines with teachers during their strike in February. Now, classified workers are challenging layoffs and low pay.

Melvin Phillips has worked in Oakland schools for the last 27 years. He is currently the lead school security officer at Fremont High School and he is one of hundreds of classified employees in the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD). Classified workers include instructional specialists like classroom support staff and tutors, administrative workers, custodians, security…

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Oakland city workers strike continues

Oakland City workers represented by SEIU Local 1021, with the solidarity of IBEW 1245 workers, have been participating in an unfair labor practice strike for the last four days, while IFPTE Local 21 has participated in a sympathy strike.

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Union protest overwhelms early Oakland City Council budget talks

As the city gets ready to tackle a new two-year budget, councilmembers heard a presentation on Oakland’s fiscal future at Tuesday’s city council meeting. Whoops, jeers and the sound of a cowbell punctuated the meeting, and before the council could hear the presentation, they heard from dozens of angry union members and chants of “Enough is enough!” from the audience stalled proceedings more than once.

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Port of Oakland operations halted by SEIU Local 1021 strike

SEIU Local 1021 pickets at the entrances to the Port of Oakland container terminals, preventing truck drivers and longshoremen from entering the Port.

One by one, in the pre-dawn darkness Tuesday, delivery trucks exited Oakland’s 980 freeway at Adeline and headed toward Middle Harbor Road, prepared to pick up or drop off shipments at the Port of Oakland. Each truck came to a halt as the drivers faced picketers blocking the entrance to the international container terminals at the Port.

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Port of Oakland workers protest planned wage cuts

After months of failed contract negotiations, Port of Oakland workers rallied outside Oakland Airport Friday to protest potential cuts to their own benefits amid allegations that port commissioners have misused public funds. “We have been bargaining with the Port for over 15 months now,” said Alfonso Loera, president of Service Workers International Union Local 1021,…

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