Workers Honor Fabian Núñez

Worker after worker stood up to offer personal tributes to the man who has always championed them and the people that they care for.

Amanda Figueroa, secretary-treasurer of the local, related the story of how she first met the speaker. The occasion was a candidate-screening event, but Mr. Nunez was so down-to-earth, she mistook him for a humble worker.

In his speech, Mr. Nunez emphasized the importance of care giving work and of the IHSS program in general. It’s a program that Mr. Nunez swore he’d never allow the Governor to cut.

Along with his work on behalf of IHSS, the speaker also worked on bills designed to combat global warming, to reduce the price of prescription drugs, and to raise the minimum wage.

Nunez has long-standing ties with organized labor, serving as the Political Director for the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor between 1996 and 1999. In 2002, he was elected to the California State Assembly to represent the 46th district. Two years later he was selected to be the 66th speaker of the California Assembly.

In 2008 Fabian Nunez was termed out of office. He was replaced by Karen Bass, the first woman of color to serve as Speaker.