May 18, 2016
Today, the San Jose City Clerk announced that the Opportunity to Work Initiative has the signatures needed to be placed on the November 2016 ballot. The Council, which will hear the item at their May 24th meeting, has the option of placing the measure on the November 2016 ballot, adopting the ordinance or requesting an impact report. Silicon Valley Rising,…
May 18, 2016
Below is the statement released by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka in response to the new overtime rules: “New overtime protections mark a major victory for working people that will improve the lives of millions of families across America. The new rule more than doubles the salary threshold, ensuring workers who make less than $47,500 are eligible for overtime. We applaud…
May 8, 2016
Alejandra Mejia is a single mother of three children. She has worked at McDonald’s since 2006 and proudly made manager two years ago, balancing job and family by working the morning shift so she could be home after school. But new management came in and changed her schedule, and when she needed to be home by 4, they said, “No…
May 5, 2016
AT&T West workers in California and Nevada, members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), are currently bargaining for a “fair contract.” Their existing collective bargaining agreement expired on April 9, 2016, and they have been without a contract ever since. Even in a constantly changing industry like telecommunications and entertainment, AT&T has been able to adapt to change and…
May 2, 2016
City of San Jose Council to vote on remaining renters’ rights issues, incl. Ellis Act evictions, demolitions & condo conversation (a) Direct staff to return with an Ellis Act ordinance to address the process to be followed for owners of ARO apartments subject to the ARO (ARO apartments) seeking to remove their building from the rental business. (b) Direct staff…
Apr 13, 2016
By a vote of 4-1-1 last night, the Sunnyvale City Council chose to raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2018, four years sooner than mandated by California’s new minimum wage law. Sunnyvale is the first city in California to advance the timeline by which it gets to the $15 minimum wage since Governor Brown signed the legislation…
Apr 12, 2016
County of Santa Clara Adopting policy for Community Workforce Agreements on public works In its February 23, 2016 meeting, the Board directed Administration to require the consideration of a Project Labor Agreement for all public works contracts over $2,000,000 and to include a hiring program that (1) targets employment for current and past County clients, including but not limited to…
Apr 1, 2016
April Fools! While we all know that Trump refuses to support any good policy that helps working families, our Governor, State legislature and labor movement prioritize our workers. This week’s passage of the $15 minimum wage was historic and when Governor Jerry Brown signs the bill, he will again show the nation why California is a champion for worker rights…
Mar 30, 2016
Last night, Dennis Kennedy, former Mayor of Morgan Hill, passed away after a long battle with cancer. Kennedy, who up until recently served as a Board Member for the Santa Clara Valley Water District, was considered by many to be a mentor and true public servant. His years of leadership, volunteerism and time as mayor not only helped shape the…
In two months, I’ll be 70 years old. I’ve been fighting for the rights and well-being of working people for longer than many of the people in this room have been alive. I made my first speech in favor of health insurance for all Americans in June of 1964. The MediCare Act was signed a year later, but after that…