June 24, 2009—In the midst of the worst economic crisis in decades, SEIU and Coalition bargaining teams voted unanimously yesterday afternoon to recommend ratification of a plan to secure services, jobs, wages and contracts long enough for Los Angeles to weather the economic storm.

The agreement would prevent layoffs and mandatory furloughs while helping up to 2,400 workers retire with dignity and saving the City nearly half a billion dollars over two years. Once agreed to by the full City Council this week, ballots will go out to a vote of the full membership of SEIU and other unions in the Coalition of LA City Unions. Read highlights of the plan at SEIU721.org

June 23, 2009—Following in the footsteps of thousands of other City workers who've left EAA over the years to join other city unions, nearly 500 City employees in MOU 17 have chosen SEIU 721, according to the results of a ballot tally this afternoon at the Employee Relations Board (ERB). Today's tally of ballots confirmed that the 1,500 City workers in MOU 8 will vote in a run-off election to be scheduled at a later date.

"This is great news for those of us in MOU 17—our voices will be heard in SEIU. It's been a long, hard fight to leave EAA, but the fight isn't over. We will continue to support our colleagues and we'll do whatever we can to assist them in their efforts to also make the important switch to SEIU."

—Joe Maturino, Bureau of Sanitation/Recycling, MOU 17

June 22, 2009—The Employee Relations Board today accepted the findings of an independent investigation into hundreds of un-postmarked ballots cast in the recent election to decertify EAA, and ordered those ballots to be opened and tallied tomorrow at 2 pm.

This is one small step toward our ultimate goal of ridding ourselves of the tyranny of EAA," said Craig Kunesh, Bureau of Engineering, MOU 8, who testified before the Employee Relations Board this morning and urged them to count the contested ballots.

The Board's decision brings 2,000 LA City employees in MOUs 8 and 17 one step closer to joining SEIU. Results from tomorrow's ballot count will be posted here tomorrow afternoon, as soon as they are available.