Stop the Attack on SEIU Local 221 by National City Mayor and Members of City Council

National City is a small city just south of San Diego, with a population of about 57,000, 64% of whom are Mexican/Chicano/Latino, and predominantly working class. Years of defunding social services, while over-funding a bloated police budget, and the lack of appetite of the current Mayor and majority of City Council to increase (very low) taxes on the capitalist “business sector” of National City have led to a supposed budget shortfall.

The sitting rightwing mayor, Ron Morrison, and most of the current City Council are trying to use the budget shortfall to attack public union sector workers, claiming their modest pay raises are the reason. This is an engineered attack on the union and its workers. The rightwing forces in this local government prefer to blame poorly paid workers and do not want to address the police budget, payoffs, and lawsuit fees from many years of ongoing police corruption and impropriety—and they definitely don’t want to increase taxes on the local capitalist class that funds their campaigns.

Below, San Diego Socialist member Sasha Durango gave public comment at a National City City Council meeting blasting the mayor and majority of the council for their blatant attack on the city’s unionized workforce of SEIU Local 2021. Below is a transcript of the comments.

“City Council member Luz Molina states the following regarding the business tax reform: It is unfair to businesses and voters to trust us with more money when we haven’t made good decisions. Therefore, Council member Molina suggests to shelve the idea of taxing big businesses. What hypocrisy. Hello, I am a student. I am not in a union, but here in support of SEIU 221 and their petition, specifically their ask to include the reintroduction of the ‘Business Tax Reform’ measure which is on the ballot for the next election.

There are claims made by city council members and class traitor journalists that National City workers’ raises have contributed to the city’s deficit. I’ve never for a second believed this claim. It is not the 5% raises to librarians and park caretakers that are contributing to this deficit. It is the ghastly, unconditional financial support of the National City Police Department (NCPD) and the lack of taxing of big businesses.

Police Chief Alejandro Hernandez was given a 15% base salary increase. “Public Safety”, or more accurately, funding for the cops, continues to make up the vast majority of municipal spending, even as the NCPD continues to engage in violent and corrupt behavior. Let’s talk about the $3.5 million contract expansion with the Police Officers Association that is contributing to this $12.7 million to the city deficit.

We can also talk about the homophobic and sexist statements regarding female officers that National City Police officers made, targeting women and queer officers stating that they need “to submit or sleep with male officers in order to fit in.” This led to the filing and awarding of a $10 million harassment lawsuit, which National City municipal government will have to cover with the taxes paid by city residents. National City Council needs to cut city funding to the NCPD & reintroduce the Business License Tax.

I am not a union member, but I will do everything in my power to support the union’s fight. For the workers are the backbone, the heart, and the brains of the city.”

Sasha Durango is a Chicana artist, student, and activist with the San Diego Socialists.