This Black History Month we honor the first Black Vice President of SEIU6, Charles Pannell. Charles dedicated 31 years to making his workplace better and making our union stronger. His leadership strengthened SEIU6 in myriad ways, as a union member, shop steward, executive board member and vice president. Charles was a loving grandfather and husband, and would often bring his wife Bonita and his grandson Josiah to protests.
Charles was integral in the Justice for Janitors movement and was known for his frank assessments of the struggle between labor and capital. During a contract fight in 2008 Charles said, “This is the richest country in the world, how come people can’t be paid for the job they do?”
Our fight against corporate greed continues but we take this moment to remember and honor the risk and sacrifice Charles made. He risked arrest countless times for employer-paid family medical insurance for SEIU6 janitors. He was arrested on at least 3 occasions in our union’s fight for better pay and benefits. SEIU6 would not be the fighting union we are today without leaders like Charles, and the many Black leaders who continue to lend their courage, voice, and moral clarity to the fight for a better life for all of us—the multiracial working class.
Charles carved the path for current worker-members like Demetrus Dugar, who is building on the legacy of Black leaders in the labor movement. Demetrus has sat at the negotiating table during multiple contract fights ensuring wages for security officers continue to rise. He’s amassed a following online, spreading the word about current union struggles and is an integral part of the executive board, member communications committee and member political organization.
In this moment where public sector jobs are being slashed blindly threatening the livelihoods, health and wellbeing of all Americans, we stand in solidarity with our union siblings. We will organize with community to defend the rights of our immigrant members. We will not stand idly by as the richest person on the planet tries to destroy decades of our nation’s progress.
As a union of security officers, janitors and airport workers, SEIU6 members organize across race, religion, nationality and immigration status. For unions like ours, diversity isn’t a line in a mission statement or a poster in some backroom. It is our strength. We will carry on the legacy of Charles Pannell. We are going to fight chaos with Organizing. We are going to fight division with Solidarity. Happy Black History Month.
Solidarity,
Zenia Javalera
SEIU6 President
