CommentsJOBS VS. UNION CASH-Prior to June 2016 janitorial services at the California Health Care Facility, a California State prison Facility located in Stockton, were provided by the individuals who were SEIU #1000 union members.
In August 2015, an evaluation of the facility highlighted subpar sanitation and cleanliness standards which jeopardized the facility’s operating license. The evaluation also found problems with SEIU members because of high staff turnover and transfers to non-qualified candidates. The California Department of Corrections wasn't getting good people to take the prison janitorial jobs. These union employees also showed up late for work and often called in sick. The evaluation team suggested several alternatives, one which included contracting out the janitorial service jobs.
As a result, the state of California then awarded the contract to PRIDE Industries who provide employment for adults with special needs and promote the hiring of them. Ever since PRIDE obtained the contract, the facility has received near perfect scores from an accrediting commission.
But in May of this year, as the PRIDE contract was due to expire, SEIU #1000 filed a lawsuit which stated that employees at the facility must pass a state examination prior to gainful employment with the state of California. As most folks know, there are many individuals who are classified as special needs who simply can't pass the written examination due to their disabilities.
At a “meet and greet” held in Eagle Rock on April 14, 2018, Wendy Carrillo spoke of her support for unions, particularly SEIU. After all, her campaign for her state assembly seat was financed by more than $400,000 by a PAC largely funded by SEIU monies.
Now, Ms. Carrillo claims to be an advocate for those individuals who have low incomes, are homeless, as well as those with mental health issues. She claims to be a supporter of women's rights and immigration reform. But she is evidently against those individuals who want to be gainfully employed and develop feelings of self-esteem and self-worth, who want to develop self-independence and not be a burden on the state of California. These are the people who are afflicted with disabilities which fall under the classification of SPECIAL NEEDS.
Ms. Carrillo has previously acknowledged that for a period of time she dropped out of high school before returning to graduate and go on to attend Cal State LA. Perhaps now is the time to educate Ms. Carrillo as to what disabilities fall under the category of Special Needs, i.e., hard of hearing, autism, ASHD, Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome, emotional disturbance, epilepsy, reading and learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, Pervasive developmental disorder, speech and language impairments, Spina bifida, Traumatic brain injury, and Visual impairments and many more.
Let’s go one step further in educating Ms. Carrillo. FDR was the 32ndPresident of the United States who was afflicted with polio and for many years was confined to a wheel chair. And who can forget about world renowned British physicist Stephen Hawking, afflicted by ALS, who was also confined to a wheelchair. Perhaps Ms. Carrillo, who is a progressive democrat, forgot about Eunice Shriver, JFK's sister who founded both the U.S. and World Special Olympics.
Now I ask Ms. Carrillo: of all the thousands of SEIU members, how many of them have family members who are classified as special needs individuals? Have you informed those members how you voted and turned your back on those individual employees with Special Needs to cancel and abolish their contract and fire them in favor of SEIU employees who did such a lousy job in the first place?
Have you no shame?
In June of this year a compromise was made during the State’s budget reconciliation process, and it appears that half of those Special Needs employees will lose their jobs. They will be replaced by SEIU member employees.
We can only hope that those who lost their jobs will soon find gainful employment elsewhere.
Hats off to PRIDE Industries and to the state elected officials who voted to retain the Special Needs employees. As for Carrillo, she encapsulates all that is wrong with California government. She is one of the many state elected officials who are bought and paid for by unions and special interest groups.
(Caroline Aguirre is a retired 24-year State of California law enforcement officer, LAPD family member, community activist and Neighborhood Watch captain. Aguirre is a CityWatch contributor.) Edited for CutyWatch by Linda Abrams.
