State’s Largest Union Charts New Course For California’s Working Families

New Team Announced to Lead Effort

(Sacramento, CA) – The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California is charting a new course for California’s working families and has announced a new team to lead the effort.

Bill A. Lloyd has been unanimously elected as the new SEIU California President to lead an executive board comprised of leaders representing janitors, health care workers and public services employees from across the state.

“Without a doubt, workers in this state face what seem to be insurmountable challenges – a crippling state budget, the diminishing of the public services we rely on everyday such as good schools, affordable college, access to healthcare, and parks,” said Lloyd. “But I’m convinced that by all of us working together, we can turn California around into a place we can take pride in again. Our leadership team is more committed than ever to do this by fighting for good wages, affordable healthcare and by creating a path out of this economic crisis for all working families in California.”

Lloyd serves as Executive Director of SEIU Local 99 where he represents over 40,000 education workers in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. He replaces, Kristy Sermersheim, President of SEIU Local 521.  A new Executive Committee was also elected. 

SEIU California will also choose a new executive director to replace departing Courtni Sunjoo Pugh. Pugh was tapped to return to Washington, D.C. to become SEIU’s new National Redistricting Project Director.  In her new capacity, Pugh will help SEIU identify and take advantage of crucial political opportunities nationwide in order to keep building political strength for working families across the country.

“For over a decade, Courtni has been on the front lines fighting to elect leaders who will be warriors for working families,” said SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger. “She has a remarkable talent for making the difference in difficult political races all across this country, from school board races to Presidential elections. At no time is her talent more needed than today, when both the challenges and the opportunities facing working families are so significant. “

A search committee has been established to find a new Executive Director.  In the meantime, Lloyd will fill that role until a replacement is found.

# # #

 SEIU California is a coalition of over 700,000 janitors, social workers, security officers, homecare workers, cafeteria workers, nurses and various classifications of city, county and state employees represented by SEIU local unions throughout California. They come together to build a better California by fighting to pass policies and elect candidates that fight for the issues working men and women care about such as affordable healthcare, good wages, a means to a good retirement, a healthy environment, education and stronger communities. They believe that by working together we can build a California that all working families can once again thrive in.