On Tuesday August 7 and Wednesday August 8, SEIU members from locals 1000, 521, 1021, and 99 lobbied key members of the California Assembly Appropriations Committee and the California Assembly Speaker to ask their legislative representatives to support SB 1234, legislation sponsored by Senator Kevin DeLeon that will open a secure retirement savings vehicle for California workers who currently lack access to a portable, secure, reliable retirement savings account.
PHOTO: Senator DeLeon speaks to members after they testified at the state Capitol on Aug. 8.
Members visited the offices of Assembly members Charles Calderon, Steven Bradford, Mike Gatto, Felipe Fuentes, Jerry Hill and delivered the message that California and the nation are facing a retirement security crisis with millions of working people in the private sector having little or no prospects of retirement income beyond their critical, but modest, social security income. In addition, Local 1000 submitted petitions with more than 6,000 signatures that members had gathered in support of SB 1234 to Senator DeLeon's office.
Child Care provider and SEIU Local 99 activist Marta Delgado and SEIU Local 1000 leader Tamekia Robinson testified before the Assembly Appropriations Committee about the importance of California establishing a secure retirement savings vehicle for private sector workers through the enactment of SB 1234.
On Wednesday, retired members Bob Sigala, and Mike Donaldson joined active public sector members Rachel Grocha-Welch, Harry Baker, Nancy Atwell, Cynthia Laundry, Ruben Garcia, Home Care Provider Yong OK Soung and Home Care Client Sue Manley on legislative office visits and provided support at the hearing for Marta and Tamekia. The group was also accompanied by Mike DeBord, member of the California Retired County Employees Association.
PHOTO: Members visited the state Capitol last week to support SB 1234.
Dozens more visited legislators on Friday for in-district visits before the legislation comes to a vote before the Appropriations Committee in the next couple of weeks.
After her trip yesterday, child care provider Marta Delgado said:
"It was empowering and an honor for me to represent my co-workers in Sacramento yesterday and educating our supporters in the assembly about our struggles through sharing my story. Childcare providers are an important part of this economy and the education system. But we have ourselves and our families to take care of. We are trying to survive and get by like anyone else. I am worried about my future and my retirement. SB1234, if passed, will be a step in the right direction to ensuring a savings plan that will secure a quality lifestyle for me when I retire. I deserve it, after all the years of service I have provided to families".
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