David Huerta remembers as if it were yesterday, when his sister-in-law told him about a job as a union organizer for janitors. It never crossed his mind at the time, that in 12 years later he would become president of the powerful Service Workers International Union (SEIU) in California, which represents more than 700,000 workers of 16 local unions in the 58 counties in the state.
“Our members are fighting people. And what I have learned in all these years of union struggle is that we have power; and that united we can move mountains. Many times we underestimate ourselves about what we can do. But we have the intelligence, the power, the heart and the determination to make an impact and change things.”
It all started in his youth. David’s dream after graduating from San Francisco State University, was to be a youth counselor, but he was having a hard time finding a job in that field while the needs and financial responsibilities were piling up.
So the notice that a janitor organizer was taking care of it, practically it fell from the sky. Not even when he thought that this job would be the door to start a career as a union leader.
“My son was about to be born and I had no money. I got the job as an organizer on 26 February 2000. My son was born on March 4,” he says.
He is currently the father of two children.
David was born in East Los Angeles. He grew up in the city of Whittier in Los Angeles County. He lost his mother when he was 4 years old. His father, who worked in the trucking industry, was a single father for several years until she married when David was 12 years.
Without a doubt, his father was his role model. “I learned from him and he helped me a lot.”
In 2014, he became president of the SEIU union -USWW, for which he was hired as an organizer, and which represents more than 40,000 private sector janitors, security guards, airport workers, and other community service workers property such as sports stadiums, arenas, Disneyland and other entertainment venues.
David played a key role in the year’s campaign 2000 who mobilized 2, 500 janitors to go on strike for better wages and benefits, which marked a national turning point in recognizing the role of immigrant workers in the migrant movement.
His work as a catalyst for the movement of migrant workers led him to be recognized by the pres ident Obama with the distinctive title ‘Champion of Change’.
David says his goals as leader of SEIU-California are to grow the labor movement, work to make the state more progressive, move justice and become leaders for the rights of immigrants.
“Although we have many progressive politicians, there are still many Republicans who they block the agenda for a better California. In the Central Valley, the majority of the inhabitants are Latino, but those who represent us are Republicans.”
David was one of the leaders who led the fight for a salary of $15 per hour, when the minimum wage was $.
“With the inflation that has impacted people’s lives, the salary should be $20. We have a high cost of rent and food”, he says.
And adds that they are also working to recover jobs that were lost during the pandemic in the cleaning areas, airports, stadiums, arenas, Disneyland, among others.
“The insecurity of the pandemic still exists. We are seeing that companies have not returned to their workplaces. We don’t know if all the workers are going to return to their jobs. And if this does not happen, we are going to see a domino impact.”
Regarding immigration reform, he lamented that the Republicans and Democrats do not understand that the country has been made with immigrant labor. “By not giving us a reform, and closing the door to immigrants, they are going to harm us.”
Under his leadership as president of the SEIU-USWW Janitorial Union, David has achieved enormous benefits for workers, has given them the tools to fight wage theft and address sexual violence in this industry.
While leading the destinies of SEIU-California as president , will continue as leader of the SEIU-USWW janitorial union.
“I will dedicate my presidency to ensuring justice and inclusion for immigrant workers and their families, creating pathways to power and union membership for million more workers.”
He will also seek to partner with other labor and progressive leaders to build a state that ends poverty and combat structural racism, but at the same time expand democracy and opportunity for all.
SEIU-California represents social workers, health workers, nurses, doctors, orers, school teachers, nursing home workers, janitors, stadium workers, entertainment centers, security guards.
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