Page 12 - Work Force June 2024

June 2024 13
The Work Force
“I always wanted to
be a CSEA member”
LONG BEACH — When CSEA City
of Long Beach Unit Shop Steward
Jacoby Thomas was a child, he and
his mother would go for walks on the
city’s boardwalk, where he watched
city sanitation workers drive by.
Thomas would point to the
workers and say to
his mother, “I want
to do that when I
grow up.”
Decades later,
Thomas is driving
the vehicles that
he admired as a
child. He noted
that he “feels like
an adopted kid”
who has never felt
as “happy and as
loved” as he has
being a part of his
CSEA family.
Thomas first
worked for the
city as a freelancer
before leaving the
job to work on his skillset, in hopes
of returning to city employment in
the future and securing a better,
more permanent position.
During his time away, Thomas
studied under a plumber and an
electrician. When the time was
right, he was hired as a part-time
city employee. Thomas also helped
organize the Long Beach Part-Time
Unit in 2022 and eventually served as
the unit president.
After much hard work and his
CSEA family negotiating on his
behalf, Thomas was hired as a
full-time worker,
something Thomas
calls a life-changing
moment.
“I always wanted
to be a CSEA
member because
I knew what it
would mean for
my family,” said
Thomas. “Where
I grew up, people
aren’t expected to
amount to much. I
knew that I wanted
more for myself and
my family. What
better place is there
to be someone who
can provide for my
children and be someone that they
can look up to than here, as a CSEA
member?”
As someone who grew up in
Long Beach, Thomas wants to give
back to his community by helping
others. His new role as shop steward
has helped him do just that.
From left, City of Long Beach Unit 3rd Vice President Jacoby Thomas holds
a plaque recognizing him as the unit’s 2023 Officer of the Year, which
was presented to him by City of Long Beach Unit President John Mooney.
(Photo provided by John Mooney.)
In his position, Thomas
encouraged unit representatives to
negotiate bereavement leave for
part-time workers and has been
available to his colleagues when they
are in need of encouragement or
counsel.
“My entire life, I’ve been told
that I’m weak because I like to
help people,” said Thomas. “They
obviously don’t know what they’re
From left to right,
City of Long
Beach Part-Time
Unit members
Jacoby Thomas
and Winsome
Parchment discuss
the benefits of
union membership
with CSEA City of
Long Beach Unit
President John
Mooney in this
2022 file photo.
talking about because look at me
now. I’m financially better off and I’m
part of a union family that helps me,
while I simultaneously help others.”
The financial boost has enabled
Thomas to pay for his daughter’s
college tuition and room and board,
as well as inspire his son, who
was starting to give up on his own
dreams.
Thomas has come a long way
since he was interviewed for
The Work Force in 2022 about
being an activist in CSEA’s then
newly-organized City of Long Beach
Part-Time Unit.
At the time, Thomas said, “One
of these days, I want to be like John
[Mooney] and become an activist.”
Almost two years later, Thomas
is a full-time worker, a shop steward
and has recently been named 3rd
Vice President of his unit.
With hard work, dedication and
the support of our union, Thomas
noted that his dreams have come
true.
— Wendi Bowie
“Where I grew up,
people aren’t expected
to amount to much.
I knew that I wanted
more for myself and
my family. What better
place is there to be
someone who can
provide for my children
and be someone that
they can look up to
than here, as a CSEA
member?”