The newly elected head of California’s largest state worker union said he wants to end union support for any politicians or political movements, including Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Richard Louis Brown ousted the longtime incumbent president of Service Employees International Union Local 1000, Yvonne Walker, during an election late last month. He beat Walker by capturing more than 33% of the vote compared to her 27%. The election had low turnout, with just 7,880 of the union’s 96,000 members voting.
Brown ran on the platform of ending the union’s involvement in all political and social justice movements and the cessation of funding for political figures. He told the Washington Examiner during an interview that his message about keeping politics out of labor was a “very simple” one. His other goals are to slash membership dues in half, break away from the Service Employees International Union, and attempt to engage more members to pay dues.
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The president-elect, who is set to be sworn in to lead the union for a three-year term on June 26, said that the current leadership of Local 1000 is too beholden to Democratic politics and politicians such as Newsom.
Last summer, during the pandemic, Newsom demanded pay cuts among state employees in light of a projected budget deficit. As a result, most state workers’ base pay was cut by 9.23% (equivalent to about two days of work) and were given two flexible days off each month in deals agreed to by the union. Brown was not pleased with the fact that pay was cut, given the union’s support for Newsom.
Brown said that the union would not give a dime to Newsom after he is sworn in and claimed that even during the lame-duck period, the union is continuing to support the Democratic governor. Brown said that Local 1000 is set to vote Wednesday on whether to donate $1 million to oppose the Newsom recall effort.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the union about the donation vote but did not immediately receive a response.
“This is the hypocrisy of the union. I say we’re going to reduce the dues and help people. They say, ‘Richard, you’re crazy, you’re delusional, but we have time to give Gavin $1 million to help him in his recall while we’re still losing two days a month,’” he said.
“He’s selfish, he’s arrogant, and he does not bargain in good faith,” Brown said of Newsom.
Brown said it’s also wrong for the union to dabble in social justice movements such as Black Lives Matter. He asserted that he is not a politician but a “labor man” and thinks that Local 1000 should not have any involvement in anything outside of helping members negotiate quality wages and defend them in the workspace.
“Those political social justice issues … there’s many people in Local 1000 who do not believe in Black Lives Matter, and I know black people who don’t believe in Black Lives Matter. Do we want to find equality? Absolutely,” he said. “But the Black Lives Matter movement, some people say it’s too political [and] it’s been hijacked and that it started in a good place, but it became too political.”
“I don’t have all the answers. Only thing I can tell you is that I know I’m black, and I know I’m a descendant of U.S. slavery,” he continued. “So, I appreciate other black folks protesting and marching. I get it. But my union, that has more than just black people in it — the only thing we’re supposed to do is get people money and get them respect in the workplace. That’s it.”
Richard Louis BrownBrown said that of the 96,000 state employees that Local 1000 represents, only about 54,000 pay dues, a problem he thinks stems from both too-high payments and because some of the members might not want to bankroll political movements or bolster politicians that they themselves do not support.
The president-elect said that members of Local 1000 are diverse politically and include supporters of the Republican, Libertarian, and Green parties. He asserted the amount of money that unions spend in Democratic politics is a violation of those members’ beliefs.
When asked about why the union has been so supportive of Democratic leaders, he claimed that they are “suffering from Stockholm syndrome” and “sympathizing with the kidnapper.”
The larger umbrella Service Employees International Union contributed nearly $28 million to organizations, political action committees, and candidates during the 2020 election cycle. Of the total amount donated to federal candidates, 99.8% went to Democrats, according to Open Secrets. Included in the donations was $150,000 to the Black Lives Matter PAC.
Brown told the Washington Examiner that he would push for a forensic audit to be conducted on Local 1000’s own books after he is sworn in and would insist on financial transparency from day one of his term. He said that right now, the union is too broadly focused and is derelict of its mission.
He said that a union should do two things: get members quality wages through contract negotiations and offer job representation and protection in the workplace.
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“Local 1000 has failed in both categories,” Brown said. “Local 1000 is a social justice organization that sponsors the Democratic Party. That’s all that it is. It’s not a labor union. It’s a political union.”
