Sacramento, CA – Members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in California today enthusiastically applauded the California State Senate’s approval of SB 227 (Durazo), which takes an important step toward equity for immigrant workers by ensuring they can access an unemployment safety net if they lose their jobs.
“Immigrant workers are a vital part of California’s economy, and the majority work in jobs deemed essential during the pandemic. They contribute billions of dollars every year into our unemployment and other safety net systems; yet because of historically racist policies, California treats these workers as expendable as soon as they lose their jobs and denies them access to basic unemployment support. SEIU members believe California must do better and create greater equity; we are glad the Senate agreed with its vote on SB 227 (Durazo) today,” said Anton Farmby, Vice President of SEIU-USWW. “Creating an unemployment safety net is the right thing to do for California’s immigrant workers and to create a just, inclusive and more resilient economy.”