Candidate Video: https://youtu.be/jSOvBJ_UXOY?si=5ND3j8b-31xrPsnW

SEIU 668 members, I am asking for your support for another term as SEIU 668 President and to back the strongest Local 668 officer team possible by supporting my running mate, Secretary-Treasurer candidate Nina Coffey.

Since 2018, when I took office, we’ve seemingly gone from crisis to crisis – first, battling the attack on public workers through the Janus vs. AFSCME decision.

Heading into the Janus decision, we went into shops like never before and activated a new generation of leaders in the local. Members made the choice to support the union, signed-up, and were ready to face the challenge.

And then the unimaginable happened when we were faced with the COVID-19 pandemic. But, again, workers united. We fought for each other under the most dire circumstances.. In all cases, we showed our strength. But we’ve always found a way to stay strong, to fight back.

Five years ago they said the Janus decision would be the end of our power as a union, but since then we’ve:

- Bargained strong contracts for our members, including two state contracts worth over 40% in compounded increases.

- Raised the stakes by calling strikes against employers in Allegheny, Butler and York Counties to bring home important economic improvements for members. - Adjusted our operations to provide on-the-spot statewide staff support for members during our toughest contract fights.

- Fought for workers head-on since the start of the pandemic, leaning into being one of the loudest, strongest advocates for workers in Pennsylvania.

- Negotiated a state telework agreement that has provided telework opportunities to more SEIU 668 members than any other union.

- Negotiated mid-contract agreements since the start of the pandemic that provided position upgrades for hundreds of workers, paid parental leave, hazard pay, and other incentives for most of our members.

- Elected the first-ever SEIU 668 member to the Pennsylvania General Assembly, Roni Green.

- And we’ve done this all while balancing tight budgets when faced with post-Janus revenue challenges.

We’ve fought for members passionately and efficiently. Workers remained united. Now we need to do this and more by growing and continuing to improve. My running mate and I plan to hit the ground running in 2024 by:

- Forming a constitutional committee to examine our existing structure and make modernizing improvements where needed.

- Further streamlining steward elections and similar annual processes to ease recruiting new leaders.

- A laser-focus on member sign-ups and encouraging activism across the state. - Commitment to new organizing to grow our local and our movement. - Developing and implementing a long-term, statewide strategic public services campaign.

These operational improvement targets tie in with our vision of a union that is driven by our members and by the principles of solidarity, where we are united by a vision of a just society for working people.

It’s been said that there are two Americas, and it’s true. One is for most of us and another for the few, the absurdly privileged. Our members in essential services live between these worlds in some ways – dealing ourselves with all of the economic uncertainties of the many while providing vital services to the most vulnerable. We are a loud voice for those without. Regardless of who we are, where we come from, how we look, what we believe in, or who we love, we are all workers. We believe our strength comes from our solidarity – that unity we embrace despite our differences.

Again, my name is Steve Catanese and I’m running for President of SEIU Local 668. I’m asking for your vote so we can continue to fight for our members, the communities we serve, and to continue working towards our vision of a just society together. What we’re talking about isn’t easy. To build something meaningful isn’t without toil. But I hope you’ll join me in doing the hard work together.

If you have any questions about our campaign or would like to get involved, please reach out to me at stephencatanese@gmail.com or www.facebook.com/Catanese668; I look forward to speaking with you or seeing you at a Candidates Night!