SEIU Local 535

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Who we are.

Our Story: Nearly 40 years of determination, commitment, and struggle.

When Local 535 was originally chartered on August 1, 1964 by Service Employees International Union (SEIU), it was an organization of fewer than 500 social workers in Los Angeles County. Today, more than 28,000 private and public sector workers throughout California are represented by Local 535.

Local 535 grew as a result of the determination, commitment, and struggle of thousands of workers across the state. Along the way, the local played a significant role in securing collective bargaining rights for local government workers in California and established bargaining trends that provide the basis for protection of community services, working conditions, and workers' livelihoods.

HERE'S OUR STORY

Soon after Local 535 was chartered, a strategy of direct action was adopted to win collective bargaining in Los Angeles County. After a series of confrontations, the county agreed to de facto recognition of Local 535 as the representative of workers in the welfare department and agreed to enter into written memoranda of understanding on wages and conditions of work. But at the eleventh hour, the county supervisors withdrew their support and repealed an 11 percent wage increase won by the union.

FROM CASELOADS TO COFFEE BREAKS

When the county reneged, it precipitated the largest public employee strike in California history.

"I was a co-picket captain at the Adams and Grand welfare office," says Jerry Hall, a charter member of the union. "We had a good line. Five hundred workers belonged to the union at the time, but 2,000 workers walked off the job.

"I remember a guy came up to me one day," says Hall, "he had just finished graduate school and this was his first day on the job. He said, 'What's going on?' I said "We're on strike."

"He asked me if it was okay if he went into the office to let management know that he was reporting for his first day of work and then come back to the picket line. He went into the office, came back, and joined us on that line," says Hall.

After 22 days, the county restored the 11 percent wage increase and agreed to negotiate with the union on all matters "from caseloads to coffee breaks." A direct consequence of the strike was the development of the Los Angeles County Employee Relations Ordinance, which still provides the framework for collective bargaining in the county.

"When we walked back in, we walked in proudly," says Hall. "Social workers didn't have a history of standing up for themselves. We're supposed to be understanding. A lot of us got into social work because we wanted to help others and they accepted whatever came with the job, even unnecessarily poor working conditions and rock-bottom wages.

"When we stood up for ourselves, we got raises for everyone, even management. A lot of people viewed us as heroes."