“Scott Brown went to Washington and in the blink of an eye broke his pledge to put aside party differences and be a champion for workers like me,” said Margarita Restrepo, a cleaner at the Whidden Memorial Hospital in Everett and member of SEIU Local 615.

“Elizabeth Warren is different. She understands people like me because she has been fighting for middle class families, taking on big banks and working to save the American Dream her whole life. She never backs down and will never stop fighting for us,” Restrepo continued.

Instead of making it the people’s seat, Scott Brown used his vote to water down Wall Street reform, voted for cutting off help to unemployed workers and even voted for the extremist Tea Party budget that would have cost Massachusetts 17,000 jobs and cut Pell Grants for 135,000 Massachusetts students.

• Read the full endorsement announcement here.

This is an important year for members of SEIU Local 615.  We have contract fights for 15,000 janitors and workers at other institutions, the 2012 federal elections, and our campaigns to organize non-union workers in our industries, all of which will also set the stage for the security contract in 2013.

This year we also have elections for the Executive Board of Local 615.  At the Assembly, members will elect the Elections Committee that will be responsible for conducting and overseeing the elections for Local 615’s Executive Board.  We will also be discussing our many campaigns, the challenges we face, and how we are going to win for our members and all of the 99%.

SEIU Local 615 Assembly

Saturday, February 18
10:00 AM

26 West Street in Downtown Boston

Located near Downtown Crossing on the Red and Orange Lines,

State Street on the Blue Line, and Park Street on the Green Line.

Registration begins at 9:30 AM

Please call 617-523-6150 with questions.

Click here to print  Member Leaflet 2 18 Assembly

“Tonight, President Obama met the moment by outlining commonsense proposals for an America in the midst of a brutal jobs crisis and the worst income inequality in a generation. These proposals will restore a sense of balance and fairness to our great nation and restore the middle class.

“The President was exactly right that America needs an economy that’s built to last and requiring millionaires, Big Oil and other corporations to invest their fair share is a critical step in that direction. We must also reward companies that keep good jobs in America, not ship jobs overseas. President Obama spoke for working people tonight, too many of whom have seen the plants and offices that were once the lifeblood of their communities disappear.

“The President also rightly urged Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform, including a clear path to citizenship for children who were brought to this country through no choice of their own. Congress should lead by empowering these young people to realize their full potential so that they can contribute their talents to our shared future. It is time to open the doors of opportunity and pass the DREAM Act now.

“President Obama’s vision of America, where party positions may differ, but where we share values such as the ability to support our families, retire with dignity and leave the world a better place for generations to come, is exactly what is required to turn our country around. Our nation simply cannot be at its greatest if we say to working people: ‘You’re on your own.’ We will only meet the true promise of America when we have each others’ backs.”

Bread and Roses Centennial in Lawrence Marks Kick-off for Year of Major Labor Fights

LAWRENCE- SEIU Local 615 President Rocio Saenz spoke at the commemoration of the centennial of the Great Strike of 1912 on January 12, 2012 at the Everett Mill.  Saenz, one the most powerful Latino leaders in Boston, led a successful three-week strike of immigrant janitors in 2002 which led to higher wages and health insurance for workers.

Saenz spoke about the connection between the Bread and Roses strike and the plight of present day immigrant janitors in Boston.

Lawrence was the hub of industry in 1912, employing thousands of workers in substandard conditions.  Lawrence mill workers had the sixth highest death rate in the country, and the fifth for children under five. On payday of January 11, 1912, workers, realizing another wage deduction, walked out of the mills shouting “short pay,” and “strike.”

The strike, one of the most important in labor history, resulted in 25,000 workers walking out on their jobs ushered in a new era of labor organizing. 

100 years later workers continue the fight for justice started in Lawrence. “There is a yawning gap between the rich and the poor. While executives are making record amounts, income for 95 percent of American households has either stayed the same or fallen since 1970, and income inequality is at its worst since the 1920’s,” Saenz said, “We can’t let income inequality go unchecked, we must fight for good jobs that strengthen the middle class.”

“It is said that the past binds up to the future. It binds us in good ways and in bad. 80 years after that strike many in the labor movement still felt that immigrants would not, could not strike.  We proved them wrong in 1990 in Century City and again in 2002 right here in Boston,” Saenz said.

SEIU Local 615′s 17,000 members are dedicated to building a more secure future and raising standards in schools, universities, office buildings, and publicly owned properties.  We believe that companies and institutions that receive public funding should meet high standards of financial accountability and transparency, especially at this time of great budgetary strain.  That’s why janitors, security officers, and food service workers are supporting legislation that will ensure taxpayer dollars are being used to benefit the Commonwealth.

Specifically, the three bills before the Massachusetts legislature would 1) preclude contractors from pocketing off-invoice discounts and rebates that belong to our public universities, 2) establish tax transparency and strengthen reporting requirements in higher education, and 3) improve public safety by enhancing the quality of security services on property of the Commonwealth.

SEIU Local 615 asks for your support on these three bills, which aim to create a fair economy for all in our Commonwealth, and to hold companies accountable to Massachusetts taxpayers.

An Act to Preclude Contractors from Retaining Rebates that would Undermine the Integrity of the Public Procurement Process requires contractors to disclose and pass through all rebates and discounts obtained on public colleges’ and universities’ behalf.  It is a widespread, food services industry practice to pocket discounts as a way to earn profit and the federal government protects K-12 schools from this practice through USDA regulations for the National School Lunch Program.  Amending the state code dealing with public higher education purchasing would extend the USDA regulations to MA state colleges and universities ensuring that the schools and taxpayers are recovering all funds that are intended to benefit the quality and nutritional value of meals served to students.

Lead Sponsors:     Senator Karen Spilka, S577

Representative Tom Sannicandro, H355

An Act to Establish Tax Transparency and Strengthen the Reporting Requirements of Public Charities and to Establish Reporting Requirements for the Trustees and Directors of Public Charities increases financial transparency and reveal conflicts of interest for private, nonprofit higher education institutions which receive public funds through tax exemptions, so that the public and the legislature can get a better sense of how tax dollars are spent.  The public invests deeply in higher education and this bill is an important first step in ensuring that private colleges are accountable for their stewardship of that public investment and honor their public mission.

Lead Sponsors:     Senator Patricia Jehlen, S790

Representative Michael J. Moran H3003

An Act to Enhance the Quality of Security Services on State Property ensures that contractors hired by public agencies to provide security services offer high-quality service, decent wages, health benefits and a good value for taxpayers by expanding the prevailing wage law.  When security contractors that do business with the state are permitted to offer jobs with substandard pay and benefits, workers pay the price.  Through the organizing of security officers a higher standard for wages and benefits has been set in the private sector industry and this bill would ensure that state owned and rented buildings will not hire contractors that fall short of this standard.

Lead Sponsors:     Senator Ken Donnally, S1572

Representative Martin Walsh, H548

“I am happy with this agreement,” said Ivan Almendarez who is a cleaner at New York University. “Keeping my healthcare and getting wage increases will go a long way toward helping me raise my kids and take care of my ailing wife.”

“For most of my coworkers the most important part is holding onto the healthcare coverage. For me, the most important thing is the wages,” said Anthony Marcel, who has worked five years as a building cleaner at the University of Connecticut at Storrs and who sits on the 32BJ Bargaining Committee.

• Read more about the tentative NYC agreement and the other new, multiyear contracts 32BJ has reached for more than 50,000 workers from Hartford, CT to Northern Virginia.

 “I am happy with this agreement,” said Ivan Almendarez who is a cleaner at New York University. “Keeping my healthcare and getting wage increases will go a long way toward helping me raise my kids and take care of my ailing wife.”

 “For most of my coworkers the most important part is holding onto the healthcare coverage. For me, the most important thing is the wages,” said Anthony Marcel, who has worked five years as a building cleaner at the University of Connecticut at Storrs and who sits on the 32BJ Bargaining Committee.

Read more about the tentative NYC agreement and the other new, multiyear contracts 32BJ has reached for more than 50,000 workers from Hartford, CT to Northern Virginia.

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

• SEIU’s scholarships are open to SEIU members or their children.  The Bonnie Ladin Scholarship is also open to local union staff.
• Membership must be for three continuous years as of Sept. 1, 2012.
• Scholarships will be awarded without regard to the sex, race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, or disability of any applicant.
• All awards must be for the academic year(s) awarded.
• Graduate students are not eligible.
• Officers and employees of the International union and their children are not eligible.
• Scholarship awards are limited to one per household.

GENERAL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

• Applications are available starting Nov. 15, 2011.
• Applications should be filed online.  Please see the individual scholarship information below for instructions.  Applications can also be mailed to SEIU (name of scholarship), ISTS, PO Box 23737, Nashville, TN 37202-3737.
• Applications must be postmarked or filed online by midnight March 1, 2012.
• Winners will be notified in late spring and announced on www.seiu.org.

SEIU LOTTERY Scholarship Program Application lottery

SEIU BONNIE LADIN Scholarship Program Application bonnie ladin

SEIU JESSE JACKSON Scholarship Program Application jesse jackson

SEIU MOE FONER Scholarship Program Application moe foner

SEIU NORA PIORE Scholarship Program Application nora piore

Application information is also available at www.seiu.org or contact Local 615 at 617-523-6150.