SEIU 2024 “Unions for All” Legislative Agenda for Racial and Economic Justice

No matter where we come from, what we do for a living, or the color of our skin, Virginia’s working people want the same things: family-sustaining wages, paid leave, quality health care, justice at work and in our communities, and a vibrant democracy where we can all participate. The best way to achieve these goals is to ensure that every hard-working Virginian has the right to join a union and collectively bargain for a better future.

Working people and legislators partnered in 2020-2021 to pass laws that put us on a path to $15, enabled collective bargaining for tens of thousands of local government workers, and established critical protections for frontline workers, moving Virginia from the worst state for workers to the 22nd best. Since that time, however, we have slipped backwards to #28, and working people are struggling. Working families and legislators must continue our efforts and pass common-sense legislation to make Virginia #1 for workers. SEIU’s Legislative Priorities for the 2024 session would do just that. They include:

Collective bargaining rights for all public employees, including home care workers (SB374 / HB 1001)

Collective bargaining gives workers a seat at the table to improve pay, benefits, and working conditions for all people, and closes systemic racial and gender pay gaps. The General Assembly needs to build on their previous work in order to establish collective bargaining rights for all public sector employees, including home care workers, establish a state labor board with clear standards for meaningful bargaining, and fund services at a level that will allow for strong contracts and quality public services.

Allowing local governments to pass critical displaced worker protections (SB247 / HB951)

Frontline workers shouldn’t lose their job simply because a contract changes hands. The General Assembly can protect against needless job insecurity by allowing localities to enact displaced worker protections for cleaning, security, and airport workers.

Quality home care and good union care jobs (Budget Amendments 288 #21s / 288 # 2h + SB374 / HB 1001)

Virginia’s older adults, people with disabilities, and families rely on home care workers – 90% of whom are women, 65% of whom are Black, Brown and API, and over 20% of whom are immigrants – to remain healthy and safe at home, and out of institutional settings. Yet, home care workers continue to earn poverty wages with minimal benefits, creating a care crisis for all Virginians. The General Assembly needs to ensure a living wage, meaningful paid leave, health care, and collective bargaining rights for the home care workers who support Virginia families and who make all other work possible.

Empowering local control over county and city decision making (SJR18/HJR24)

Virginia’s adherence to the “Dillon Rule” and state preemption of local legislation mean state government often prevents local governments from setting policies that are responsive to local market conditions and community needs, such as raising labor and other economic standards to better support working families in high-cost areas, which is especially critical for workers of color. The General Assembly needs to allow local governments to build upon the floor for worker standards set by the state and pass policies, such as a higher minimum wage, stronger procurement standards, and diversified revenue streams, that would lift up hard-working Virginians.

A minimum wage of at least $15/hour for all workers immediately (SB1 / HB1 + HB 157)

Virginia can’t build a strong future with falling wages. In 2020, SEIU, in coalition with our community and labor allies, made historic gains in putting Virginia on a path to a statewide minimum wage of $15 by 2026 for many -- yet not all -- Virginians. The rising cost of living, however, makes clear that working people cannot afford to wait until 2026. The General Assembly needs to pass a reauthorization of the minimum wage increase that ensures at least $15 right now for all workers, without exclusion.

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Virginia comprises members represented by locals SEIU Virginia 512 and 32BJ SEIU. 32BJ SEIU represents commercial office cleaners and security officers in Northern Virginia, and airport service workers such as cabin cleaners, terminal cleaners, security officers, baggage handlers and passenger service workers at DCA and Dulles airports. With more than 175,000 members in DC and 11 states, 7,000 of whom live or work in Virginia, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country. SEIU Virginia 512 members are home care workers across the Commonwealth and frontline Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, and Richmond City employees, including nurses, social workers, mental health professionals, sanitation workers, librarians, parks staff, maintenance workers, engineers, and more. SEIU Virginia 512 is dedicated to delivering quality public services, and fighting for good jobs for all people.

SEIU will be scoring how members of the House of Delegates and State Senate vote on key priorities that impact Virginia working families.