The Executive Board of the Engineers and Scientists of California Local 20, IFPTE, is excited to welcome Wei-Ling Huber as the new Assistant Executive Director. A lifelong activist for justice, Wei-Ling spent the last 25 years working to improve and expand economic opportunities for East and North Bay hospitality and food service workers during her time as president of UNITE HERE 2850. She is excited to now join Local 20’s committed member leaders and talented staff in their efforts to raise contract standards to even greater heights and help more professional workers enjoy the benefits of union membership.

IFPTE applauds and thanks President Biden for acting so quickly to overturn these destructive and draconian Trump executive orders. There remains a lot of work to undo the great damage done to our federal workforce and our federal institutions by the Trump Administration, and today’s actions by President Biden is a great start toward achieving that goal.

Two of the latest groups to join ESC local 20 are the seventh and eighth legal service nonprofits to join ESC. Employees at Homeless Action Center provide free legal services to unhoused residents of Alameda County, and Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) represents people with disabilities and has a long history of protecting workers’ rights. DRA is the eighth legal service nonprofit to join ESC, the fourth in 2020.

Tom Dalzell has announced that he is stepping down from his role as the Business Manager of IBEW 1245. ESC has the utmost respect and admiration for Tom’s skills and takes pride in the work we have done together over the years. Words cannot express our sincere and deep appreciation for the solidarity that Tom has shown ESC. 

ESC Local 20 pledges our commitment to the Black Lives Matters movement. We stand with those in the labor movement who will fight for equality for our Black brothers and sisters. We stand against the use of qualified immunity and union contracts to shield police from the consequences of oppressive violence. Unions have an important role to play in the constant struggle for justice, and we will not allow them to be co-opted to uphold systemic racism.

ESC Local 20 is so proud of our healthcare heroes on the front lines who are fighting hard to provide care to our patients amid the surge of COVID-19, and we are making sure that they are prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine so they can continue to be the heroes our communities need.

Our activism has worked! Kaiser has agreed to our demand for a Hero Bonus for all 85,000 members of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions across the country, and will be extending our COVID-19 paid leave benefits through March 31 and our childcare grants through April 3.