History Being Made at the SEIU International Convention

CFA members participated in this week’s history making SEIU International Convention in Philadelphia.

April Verrett became the first Black woman President of in the 103-year history of SEIU International.

“The election of April Verrett, a Black woman, and Rocio Saenz, a Latina, to the top two positions of SEIU stands as a testament to the direction we in CFA took several years ago to center Anti-Racism and Social Justice, to be inclusive of those who have been marginalized in ours and others’ labor struggles, and to better serve the students in ‘the People’s University’,” said CFA President and convention delegate Charles Toombs.  “We celebrate their election and are proud to work with SEIU building union power and social justice.  I am pleased to join them on the International Executive Board of the SEIU.”

Then SEIU Secretary-Treasurer, Verrett gave a rousing keynote speech at our April 2023 Spring Assembly, uplifting the thousands of workers demanding unions, and noting how CFA members are leading the way in building a labor movement responsive to the needs of everyone.

“You all are daring to make the CSU live up to its promise to deliver an education that the children of California deserve regardless of their zip code, regardless of the color of their skin, regardless of the language that they speak. Let’s be real. Universities function like corporations. They want to keep wages low and bust our unions while they use race and status to divide us and limit our power,” Verrett said.

Verrett is SEIU’s first Black president. SEIU members also elected Rocio Saenz as the first Latina to be Secretary-Treasurer. CFA President Charles Toombs was elected to the International Executive Board.

SEIU members passed various resolutions including calling for the decolonization of Puerto Rico and a ceasefire in Palestine.

Members passed a “Core Resolution” centering racial and social justice and commitment to building a multi-generational labor movement with an amendment to recognize Trans/Intersex/Gender non-conforming people in all social identities listed.