Juneteenth, which is an annual commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States after the Civil War, has been celebrated by African Americans since the late 1800s. Renewed interest in the holiday peaked in the summer of 2020 as nationwide protesting followed the police killings of Black Americans including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, David McAtee, and more recently, Ahmaud Arbery.
President Biden reacted to the nationwide regard for the Juneteeth holiday and the re-energized Black Lives Matter movement by signing legislation in 2021 that made Juneteenth the 11th holiday recognized by the federal government.
While change in our society has historically been slow, we will never stop fighting to live in a world that treats all of humanity equally and respectfully. SEIU 1991 is proud to stand up for each one of our members despite numerous and ongoing threats over the years to take our voice and our platform away.
SEIU 1991 is proud to have fought tirelessly for the RNs and PROS (and APs soon to come) 2023-2026 tentatively agreed upon contract, which now include Juneteenth as an official holiday.
To all of our members who celebrate today, we would like to say a very special Happy Juneteenth from SEIU 1991! We are proud to be a part of your work family and represent healthcare heroes like each and every one of you. We are always stronger together!