SEIU: San Francisco’s Largest Union Announces Support for Angela Alioto for Mayor

Representing over 33,000 registered nurses, health care employees, homecare workers, public service employees, building service workers and others, the member leaders of SEIU feel that Angela will represent all San Franciscans, not just big money interests

On May 8, members and leaders of San Francisco’s largest union announced their support for Angela Alioto for mayor. After an extensive interviewing and evaluation process, the member leaders of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) chose to support Angela because of her strong record of supporting health care and city services, working people and clean government. There was also some support within SEIU for Tom Ammiano, but members ended up voting overwhelmingly for Angela. Other candidates did not receive any votes because, in light of the city’s budget crisis, SEIU members feel they need a candidate with a proven track record of listening to all San Franciscans, and not being beholden to big money special interests.

SEIU members in San Francisco provide a wide range of services to the community, including care for patients at SF General’s Mental Health Rehabilitation Facility (MHRF). The city has proposed sweeping cuts to vital services and has slated the MHRF for a “conversion” which could displace half the residents. Angela has expressed her commitment to maintain vital services such as the MHRF in order to preserve the quality of life for all San Franciscans. During the SEIU interview process, some other candidates seemed too indebted to big money special interests and would be unwilling to make tough choices, like asking everyone to do their part to solve the budget crisis, including business, community groups, labor and city government. Angela has also championed the cause of building service workers in their contract campaign involving the commercial real estate industry in SF.

Angela’s extensive legislative record demonstrates her commitment to the people and local neighborhoods of San Francisco. Angela opposed cuts in health services during the last budget crisis, and created the San Francisco Mental Health Board. She advocated government accountability by being one of the first supervisors to support the “Sunshine Ordinance” which made city government more accountable to the public. She was also a co-sponsor of San Francisco's landmark "Equal Benefits Ordinance" that requires any business that contracted with the city to provide domestic partner benefits to their employees.

SEIU is the largest union in San Francisco, California and the country. In San Francisco, SEIU Local 250 represents over 15,000 health care workers, Local 790 represents 11,000 county workers, Local 535 represents 1,200 social service workers, Local 1877/87 represents 4,000 building service workers, CSEA 1000 represents 1,700 state workers and Local 24/7 represents 2,000 security officers. We are dedicated to standing up for quality services and good jobs in San Francisco.