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“…We have a lot of young adults going through the college system…but there’s no jobs to keep them here in the Inland Empire…We want to change that….”
Ricardo started his journey in the labor movement at UCI Medical Center as a cook-turned-steward, when AFSCME 3299 organizer, Tim Mackey, asked if he was interested in organizing his department. He agreed on the condition that they organize all building floors and was successful in unionizing the vast majority of workers. Ricardo later transferred to UC Riverside’s dining services, and together with the AFSCME 3299 organizer, Werner Marroquin (now SEIU 2015), and strong workplace support from peers and dedicated students, like Celene Perez, they addressed workplace issues by hosting teach-ins and worker actions. Ricardo moved on to organize new locals and restructure others for AFSCME International where he was recruited to re-shape UDW, by Doug Moore. He spent 16 years working with caregivers to build one of the strongest unions in California.
After Laurie Stalnaker, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Central Labor Council Of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties Retired in 2018, he saw an opportunity to change the Inland Empire’s labor movement. Ricardo won his election and became the first person of color to serve as Executive Secretary-Treasurer in the IELC’S 137 year-long history. The Central Labor Council quickly rebranded to the Inland Empire Labor Council (IELC).
“Prior to 2018, we were stagnant. There was no communication within locals. We would show up for a meeting each month, kind of go through the motions and go home.”
He considers the current movement to be flourishing through collective work, worker solidarity, and political power. In partnership with Riverside City College, he plans to establish the “Inland Empire Technical College” which will provide educational pathways into union-led industries. Students will learn about labor history, local unions, and receive field certifications.
Ricardo is the quintessential example of a leader whose road was paved by natural intuition and hard work; it was almost inevitable for him to take on his role as Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the IELC. His perspective and tenacity is something the Inland Empire’s labor movement desperately needed to not just push forward, but to catch up to its endless momentum.
