Kathryn On the Issues
“All women should get equal pay for equal work. I’m leading the campaign to guarantee it in California's Constitution. Join me!"
- Kathryn
ON EDUCATION
My wife is a public school special ed teacher. We raised a son and a daughter who both chose college, but there are high quality union jobs in the crafts and trades that are often a better option. I lead a union of working-class people, and in the State Senate, I will lead California to prepare young people for college or blue-collar jobs that should be great jobs. I am committed to fully funding our schools – our teachers, staff, infrastructure and students. This is an investment in California’s future and deserves full, dedicated funding.
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Proud to be endorsed by California's teachers and classified staff.
ON HEALTHCARE
A co-worker’s son had cancer. When our union went on strike, UC threatened to end his son’s health care coverage if we didn’t all come back to work. I made employer threats like that illegal in California. Everyone – regardless of income, race, immigration status, or gender – deserves quality, accessible healthcare. While we work towards a single-payer healthcare system, I support reforms that give more people better, affordable healthcare now. I have won better health care for thousands of working families. In the state senate I will fight to expand and fund that access.
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Proud to be endorsed by California's nurses and healthcare workers.
ON HOUSING
California’s crushing housing affordability crisis is pushing working families out of their communities, stifling the economic mobility of those who can stay, and pushing people onto the streets. There are solutions to this. That means raising wages, streamlining affordable development, strong safety standards and labor protections, and social housing that offers deep and durable affordability. I am leading my union in negotiating first-time homeownership opportunities for working families so that they can live where they work. In the State Senate, I will continue to lead on creating housing opportunities for all Californians.
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Proud to be endorsed by the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment.
ON OUR RIGHT TO ORGANIZE
In 2022, California voters made reproductive freedom a state constitutional right. Now, I’m leading the 2024 statewide ballot campaigns to extend basic labor standards, protect organizing rights for working people, and remove the ban on marriage equality from California’s Constitution.
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Proud to be endorsed by the California Labor Federation, Equality California, and Fund Her.
ON JOBS
Californians deserve good jobs with a living wage, job security, benefits, and a dignified retirement. As technology, environmental impacts/demands, and the marketplace change, we will have to fight to ensure that working families don’t get left behind. California brags about having the 4th largest economy in the world, but it never mentions having the highest poverty rate in America. Workers should never bear the economic burden while corporations get richer. As a union leader I led one of the largest strikes in our state history and protected our jobs from outsourcing. We have to stop taking jobs away in the name of “efficiency”. As your senator, I will continue to prioritize closing the gender and racial pay gap and expand equal pay for women in California.
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Proud co-founder of California Labor for Climate Jobs.
ON THE ENVIRONMENT
I ride a bike wherever I can but addressing the climate catastrophe demands much more. My top priority is to ensure everyone is a part of climate change solutions so that we can reach our 100% renewable energy goals. As a mother of two Gen Zs, I am a strong advocate for replacing death-of-the-planet jobs with low-carbon-high-wage jobs that support our families and futures. I co-founded California Labor for Climate Jobs to make sure that, as we shift to a low-carbon economy to meet our net-zero goals, we support the workers across all impacted job sectors and energy jobs remain good union jobs. In the State Senate I will lead on making the path to sustainability comprehensive, fair, and inclusive, ensuring we have the workforce to support resiliency, and creating high-road training and jobs for a better future for all of us.
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Proud to be endorsed by California Environmental Voters.
ON COMMUNITY SAFETY FOR ALL
Everyone should feel safe, no matter who they are or where they live. It starts with fully funded schools, crisis and violence intervention and prevention programs, good jobs, access to healthcare, rehabilitation, and support for crime victims and trauma recovery. When fully staffed, health care workers, teachers, 911 dispatchers, social workers, behavioral health workers, utility workers, and other public sector workers make the job police must do better. And with extra support for small business districts impacted by crime, the heart of our communities can thrive.
California is making some progress transforming the justice system to address the inequities of who goes to prison, but we’re not done. I believe people deserve a second chance – and a real chance – to repair and to build a meaningful life. Measures that are proven to decrease recidivism can do that and support safer communities.
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​Proud to be endorsed by frontline public service workers, and community leaders and organizations across the East Bay