u/Exciting-File1337

I currently work downtown but live in Elk Grove. I'm thinking with RTO, it might be better to find something closer to home to cut parking and gas costs. Is it as bad as people say?

Hello DHCS moms!

I was worried about my pumping situation with the RTO, so I began inquiring about the lactation rooms. I found there is only one for the whole building at 1501 Capital. I am talking with HR and the union so if anyone has had a wait for the room please DM me so I can share with the union rep. Also note they cannot make you use the one across the street at CDPH. It violates the "close proximity" clause.

Just thought I'd share my research for a timeline with the PERB filings. If you have any corrections please feel free to share!

5/12/26
SEIU files ULP with PERB

6/18/26
CAPS files ULP with PERB

6/23/26
PERB files an official complaint in response to SEIU
(it's not expedited, so state had 20 days to respond)

7/10/26
PERB files official complaint in response to CAPS
(it IS expedited, so the state has 10 days to respond)

7/13/26 (TODAY)
State should have had a response today as it's been 20 calendar days since the complaint by SEIU

7/20/26
State should have a response as it would be 10 calendar days since the complaint by CAPS

From the date of the response by the state a mediation appointment will be scheduled. This must be done 30 days after the date of the complaint being filed so expect a mediation date 1-2 weeks after 7/13/2026 and 7/20/2026. (Not sure if this process gets expedited as well).

From mediation if no agreement is made it goes to an official judge which takes a whopping 90-120 days from the date of mediation.

Keep in mind the unions can file with PERB for an impasse and allow for a strike. I personally think we need to strongly urged the unions to also request PERB to issue a halt while this case is ongoing. The financial toll on us state workers is too much to be ignored, especially with no raises.

Am I missing something? I thought bargaining contracts were legally binding. If this is the case, how can the state even defend themselves? In the side letter it's such a short and simple couple of sentences saying they must "meet and confer on the reinstitution of the return to office order". If the state did not meet and confer over the reinstitution then we should've had a halt, no? I'm confused how the state is getting away with bending "meet and confer" it's really not a vague term at all.

If anyone works in legal, what are the chances this plays in our favor after PERB hears what the state has to say in response to its complaint?

Can anyone following this closely clarify the timeline?

I know SEIU filed the Unfair Labor Practice charge with PERB, and PERB issued the complaint on 6/24. Does anyone know if this was expedited?

When researching I found normal PERB timelines allow 20 days for response. If it's expedited how many days would they have to respond?

With 20 days we should be seeing a response sometime around 7/15 then, to my understanding. After this then what?

And also with the CAPS filing, was that expedited as well?

Forgive me if this is redundant, as I was hired post COVID. But I was researching SEIU 1000's history with troubled contract negotiations of the past to get a feel for what we are going to go through in the coming months. According to google, in 2016, negotiations took 5 months! Not sure if I'm just impatient, but this seems ridiculous to me. If SEIU called the strike earlier than 100 bargaining sessions, it seems like this would've been solved a hell of a lot faster. Now 10 years later in 2026 we should have learned an important lesson, changes are not made by waiting and talking, they are made by action and threats. If SEIU wants movement quickly they need to call a strike vote now!!! Not several months later while departments hustle to get us all behind cubes, with no raises, and increased healthcare! If they wait until Becerra is in office we are screwed. Why would the state back track after allowing departments to spend money on RTO? The fight needs to be now.

Here is the timeline for reference:

Timeline:

June 30, 2016: The existing contract officially expired. Negotiations completely stalled as the state (under Governor Jerry Brown) insisted on a lower wage offer and new worker contributions toward retiree healthcare.
July – October 2016: The union and CalHR held roughly 100 bargaining sessions without making leeway, dragging the stall out through the entire summer.
October – November 2016: Frustrated by the multi-month stall, SEIU Local 1000 leadership authorized a strike vote. In November, 93% of members voted to authorize a strike, scheduling a statewide one-day walkout for December 5. [1]
December 3, 2016: Just two days before the scheduled strike, the state returned to the table with an improved offer. A tentative agreement was signed, effectively ending the 5-month post-expiration stall.

**IMPORTANT NOTES:

Impasse was never declared:

"No formal bargaining impasse was officially declared between SEIU Local 1000 and the state during the 2016 negotiations. The union strategically bypassed the formal process to initiate a strike authorization, which ultimately led to a tentative agreement on December 3, 2016."

In regards to PERB actions:

"Rather than filing a bad-faith bargaining complaint with PERB to break the 2016 contract stall, SEIU Local 1000 chose to bypass the board and authorize a statewide strike vote.

The State's Legal Action: Once the union scheduled a walkout for December 5, 2016, CalHR immediately filed an emergency request for an injunction with PERB to block the strike. The state argued that striking while under an expired contract was illegal.

PERB's Ruling: In a pivotal decision, PERB denied the state's request for an emergency injunction. The board ruled that the strike could proceed, exempting only essential health and safety positions."

Since the state told the union they agreed to negotiate the "effects" of the RTO and that they wouldn't know said effects until after 7/1...doesn't that mean they literally have no choice but to start negotiations now?

Does anyone know why SEIU hasn't requested a halt from PERB? I'm not sure what legal limitations this would entail but I remember PECG, asking for one that got denied or something...also has anyone considered a class action? Or is that also something we aren't allowed to do?

Any news on the PERB and the environmental lawsuit from CAPS?? Or any possibility of a halt/pause for RTO 7/1? I don't see how we could move forward with RTO without sufficient space needed for all of us and all these pending lawsuits and bargaining...

Does anyone else feel like bargaining seems weirdly less passionate this year? For instance last year they were urging PERB to do an emergency halt while waiting for PERB to hear the case for RTO. This year the messaging is like "hey we filed...wish the filing good luck" and usually for raises they tell us the percentage of the prospective wage increase they want and I haven't seen that in the emails. Is it because it's still early?

I've heard multiple departments were denied BCPs for funding RTO. My own department is currently sharing cubes, not sure if they've purchased anything RTO related during the one year pause but we were told we had very little funds and even had a hiring freeze ending July 1st.

How the heck are departments going to fund this?/ Are they even trying?

Does anyone have an idea what would happen if SEIU is unable to negotiate anything with Greasy G and we reach impasse? Do we have to proceed with RTO July 1 or would it be a stall until they reach agreement?