San Francisco Clerks & CNAs Being Laid Off -- You Can Help

Run time: 09:47 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP7mM8LE6T4   Posted on YouTube: November 11, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: November 15, 2009 By DU Member: Paranoid Pessimist Views on DU: 253

 
More than 500 workers here in San Francisco, clerks and Certified Nursing Assistants, are being either laid off, bumped into jobs in other city departments, or "deskilled" -- meaning forced to take jobs that pay less in order to remain employed at all.

These cuts do affect women and minorities prominently -- mostly Filipinos: more than 75% of the Certified Nursing Assistants being hit with "deskilling" (hateful term) are Filipino. Anyone who has ever been in a hospital and cared for by Filipino nursing staff will understand what a great job they do.

The video explains it as well as I can. I am asking that anybody, anywhere in the world, email San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom (gavin.newsom@sfgov.org) or fax him (415-554-6160 -- I like faxes because they produce a piece of paper). We thought we had lost the battle Tuesday when a supplemental budget appropriation was voted on by the Board of Supervisors -- it needed 8 votes to pass, it got 7.

But now it's up for a revote this coming Tuesday. Still, the Mayor has said that even if the appropriation passes, he does not have to spend the money by rescinding the cuts and bumps. He is being stubborn, but here is a chance to help us Fight City Hall (as in "You can't fight city hall").

All Mayor Newsom has to do is tell the Board that he is now backing the supplemental appropriation and will rescind the cuts if it passes, and ask for a unanimous vote. The entire city will breathe a sigh of relief that you may be able to hear as far away as Walla Walla or Sheboygen.

So here's something you can do beyond just commenting on events. With a simple email or fax, you can make an effort to shape events.

Help me fight city hall and bring Gavin Newsom, who has all in all been a pretty good Mayor up till this began at the end of May, to his senses and better self.