To my fellow UDW members,
As we begin a new year together, I hope you are as excited as I am for the changes happening throughout our union. From a bold new look to new UDW leadership, we’re hitting the ground running to prepare for what’s to come: a historic presidential election, exciting legislative victories, two union conventions, and so much more.
Editha Adams, who served our union in elected leadership positions for over 18 years, stepped down as President of UDW at the end of December to pursue her first love: organizing. In her new role at UDW, she will be working to strengthen and grow our union. Editha’s dedication and leadership have led us to extraordinary victories throughout her presidency, from our historic overtime pay and paid sick leave victories for IHSS providers, to our fight for a statewide $15 minimum wage, and our successful efforts to organize and empower child care workers — she was there for it all!
I have had the privilege of working closely with Editha as our union’s Vice President for the past decade, and I am deeply honored that the UDW Executive Board has elected me to follow in her footsteps. I am excited to build upon her legacy and strive not only to raise the bar in our pursuit of social justice but also to uplift care workers and foster a new generation of leaders within our union. As one of my very favorite feminist icons says: “We Can Do It!”
In solidarity,
Astrid Zuniga
IHSS Provider and UDW President
