STATE NEWS
Jose Luis Pacheco For CalPERS
Photos provided by Pacheco for CalPERS 2021
Vote for the second-generation classified employee, voice for labor
by Shannon Carr
To Jose Luis Pacheco, public service is a calling, which is why he’s a classified employee and why he’s running to represent California’s public workers and retirees on the CalPERS board.
The CSEA Board of Directors is calling on CSEA members, active and retired alike, to support Pacheco for the Member-at-Large Position B seat on the CalPERS board in the upcoming fall election.
“This is our opportunity as members to promote and support the values that have guided our organization since day one, when our founders decided classified staff deserved the right to a retirement. We have made this our mission for more than 90 years. Pacheco will bring the importance of priorities of our essential workers to the forefront of the CalPERS board.” - Association President Ben Valdepeña
Why Vote for Pacheco?
“First of all, I'm going to be a champion for defined benefit plans and will fight to protect and preserve our healthcare plan for all 1.9 million of our CalPERS members, especially the retirees, our brothers and sisters,” Pacheco said. “My door is always going to be open for labor, and I'm going to bring a high caliber of professionalism back to this position.”
Pacheco is a second-generation union member, a classified employee at the San Jose Evergreen Community College District and is highly educated and experienced in the management of financial institutions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Santa Clara University and a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from California State University East Bay. He also holds certificates in accounting from Santa Clara University and alternative investments from the Harvard School of Business. Pacheco is chairman of the board of the Santa Clara County Federal Credit Union and a board member for Latinas Contra Cancer.
Pacheco serves as president of San Jose/Evergreen Colleges Chapter 363, is a delegate to the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council, and formerly held chapter positions as vice president and served on the negotiations committee, district budget committee and the resource allocation model committee.
“I'm going to be a champion for defined benefit plans and will fight to protect and preserve our healthcare plan for all 1.9 million of our CalPERS members, especially the retirees, our brothers and sisters.”
“When he was interviewed again by the PACE committee and this committee made a recommendation to the Board, looking at all his credentials, his education, and the fact that he's one of us, it was really a no-brainer,” said retiree, association past president and Council 5000 President Allan Clark.
He added that 31 percent of CalPERS members are active or retired school employees.
“So, when you look at that percentage, we need to have at least one voice, if not two, on that board,” Clark said.
Pacheco concluded by saying he is “honored and humbled” to be endorsed by CSEA.
“CSEA was founded on the principles that no one should work their entire lives in public service and retire with nothing at all,” he said. “I'm just honored to be part and be associated with it.”
