California union’s challenge to Gavin Newsom’s vaccine order divides its members

The newly elected president of California’s largest state worker union acted on his own this week when he sent a letter challenging Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order directing public employees to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19.

Facing criticism from California state workers who favor Newsom’s order, SEIU Local 1000 President Richard Louis Brown said at a meeting this week that he did not consult the union’s board of directors before drafting the cease-and-desist letter the union sent to the California Department of Human Resources on Tuesday.

“No, I did not consult the board. I think the board is probably too busy right now,” Brown said Wednesday evening.

Brown on several occasions told members that he views the union’s primary job as enforcing and defending its contract. He contends Newsom overstepped the contract when he announced the order directing state workers to show proof of vaccination or else accept regular testing for COVID-19.

Brown said the COVID-19 emergency is not more important than the union’s contract.

“When they come and tell me we’re in emergency, yeah my whole life has been an emergency, from the time I was born,” he said.

The union meeting, which took place over Zoom and which was later shared on the union’s Facebook page, saw members speak out in both support for and opposition to Brown’s decision.

Public employees who back Newsom’s order say they worry about their safety returning to work during the ongoing pandemic.

“I just wanted to attend this meeting to vehemently oppose any efforts to impede getting this vaccination mandate in place,” said member Brendan Quinn.

Quinn, who said that he spent seven months working as a COVID-19 contact tracer for the state, said that anything that delays the state from making sure employees are either vaccinated or else masked and tested “is just going to cause death and public health risks to everyone.”

Quinn added that while he voted for Brown, he might reconsider his vote if the union keeps getting involved in public health decisions.

Worried about COVID-19 in California workplaces

Member Rona Johnson echoed Quinn’s sentiments.

“I think it’s the union’s job to provide a safe workplace,” Johnson said.

One member, Francesca Wander, said she not only objected to Brown’s actions, but also to his tone.

“This is not a freedom of choice issue anymore than having a driver’s license is or any more than getting your children vaccinated and showing proof of vaccination before they can attend public school,” Wander said. “It’s a public health issue, period, end of story, plain and simple. And your personal liberties end where the public good and potential harm to the public begins.”

Brown, who won election in May, has called for SEIU Local 1000 to end its political spending and regularly criticized Newsom over pay cuts the governor and Legislature demanded from state workers last year when the state anticipated a severe recession. The pay cuts ended in July.

Brown also has criticized SEIU Local 1000’s past involvement on social issues, such as immigration, Black Lives Matter and raising California’s minimum wage.

Brown said people are quick to defend the governor’s actions, but that they came “complaining and crying” when he cut their pay last year.

“You don’t like my tone. You know what? I thought Black lives mattered in this country. I guess not. I guess my Black life doesn’t matter,” he said.

‘Protecting those of us that don’t want to get vaccinated’

Some members spoke up to voice their approval for what Brown had done.

“As a steward for SEIU for so many years, I’m so glad that you are protecting those of us that don’t want to get vaccinated,” said member Davida Cory-Richardson.

Cory-Richardson said she and her family have health issues preventing them from getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Some members, like Bobby Dalton Roy, said they agreed with Brown that Gov. Newsom failed to follow procedure in noticing the state worker unions about a material change in their working conditions.

Brown said he reluctantly got vaccinated against COVID-19. While he said he loves and respects those people who have chosen to get the vaccine, he offered strong words of support for those who refuse to do so.

“If you feel that you should not get vaccinated, because this vaccine is not FDA-approved, you don’t trust this vaccine, you don’t know the long-term consequences of this vaccine, you don’t even know how this COVID came to America, if you have doubts on the U.S. government, stay strong. Stand your ground. This is America,” Brown said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently evaluating the COVID-19 vaccines for approval. The vaccines — which were approved by the federal government under an emergency authorization — have been rigorously tested for safety and efficacy prior to their mass distribution, according to the FDA.

This story was originally published July 29, 2021 at 3:43 PM with the headline "California union’s challenge to Gavin Newsom’s vaccine order divides its members."