u/Shot_Mind_5801

Image matters, but image starts to fail as soon as a strike is confirmed. Leaving a mess here as he ends his final term? Reporters would love to see it happen. It will make a great national headline.

So, striking might sound a bit scary and unimaginable. Most of us do not have experience.
And so does Newsom.

But luckily for us, job protection is there, and we simply need to engage. How? By halting work entirely, no matter where you are.

When tens of thousands of us all stop working at the same time, this will immediately cause a statewide impact.

Ultimately, our leverage comes entirely from numbers: the more people who withhold their labor, the faster the state will be forced to the table to get a deal done.

You sacrifice a few days.
For something that’s worth it in the long run.
Reasonable wages.
Time with family.

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Strike FAQs:

• Can I be fired for striking?
No. A union-authorized strike is a protected activity, making retaliation or termination illegal under the Dills Act.
Note: State workers on probation possess the exact same legal rights to strike as permanent employees.

• I work in an SEIU-represented unit but I am not a dues-paying union member. Can I still strike legally and be protected?
Yes. Non-members have the exact same right to strike and the exact same legal protections as union members.

• As a dues-paying member, what are my specific rights and roles in pushing for a strike?
You hold the exclusive democratic power to authorize the strike and vote on the final contract.
While the eventual strike protects all workers in the bargaining unit, only dues-paying members control the process.

• Can other unions legally join SEIU’s picket line if their contract has a "No-Strike" clause?
Yes, through a legally protected action called a “sympathy strike.”
Standard "No-Strike" clause only stops you from striking over your own contract. PERB rules that a “sympathy strike” is completely legal unless your contract explicitly says “sympathy strike is banned.” Note: unions including PECG and CAPS only have general no-strike language in their contracts, so they retain the legal right to honor SEIU's picket lines.

• Do I have to attend the physical picket line?
No. Striking legally means withholding your labor, but physically joining the picket line is strongly recommended. Showing up to the physical picket line creates a powerful visual for the media, and puts direct pressure on state leadership.

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Now, about the timeline:

SEIU 1000 currently holds two active unfair labor practice (ULP) charges against CalHR: 4-day RTO mandate (filed 5/12) and bad-faith bargaining (filed 7/22).

For the RTO case, PERB found merit and issued a formal complaint; its mediation phase should be already complete. The bad-faith bargaining case is currently under review and if PERB issues a complaint, mediation should occur by September.

Because valid ULP charges allow workers to legally bypass standard, economic impasse timelines, if CalHR continues to remain stubborn at the table, we are now realistically just waiting on SEIU to officially execute a strike authorization vote.

A simple majority vote approves strike authorization.
(FYI - The 2016 strike authorization vote resulted in an overwhelming 92% "yes" vote from members.)

Once we’ve gone through this process, the actual strike can take place as early as October. November or December is a good time as we put pressure on both Newsom and the new governor-elect.

Stay informed, and be prepared.

Not that I don’t want a miracle to happen, but here is a realistic prediction of what will likely happen with the telework bill, AB 1729:

1. August 17: On the agenda. Senate will soon vote on AB 1729

• Best-case scenario: Passed without amendment.

• Note: If the Senate amends the bill on the floor, both chambers have to quickly iron out the differences and pass the exact same text by midnight on August 31, or the bill dies right then and there.

2. By September 30: Newsom signs or vetoes the bill

• Most likely scenario: Vetoed.

3. Within 60 Days of the Veto: The Legislature decides on an override attempt

• Most likely scenario: No override vote gets scheduled, and the bill officially dies.

• Why? The reality is that even when a bill passes with a "veto-proof" supermajority, leadership routinely lets the 60-day constitutional window expire without ever scheduling an override vote. Note that the veto override process is controlled entirely by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate Pro Tem Monique Limón. They are the absolute gatekeepers of the daily legislative calendar. No override vote can ever hit the floor unless both of them choose to schedule it, giving them the ultimate say on whether to challenge the Governor or let the bill quietly die.

-

So, can we do anything at this point? Maybe. Flood Robert Rivas and Monique Limón’s offices with emails and calls?

But for obvious reasons, it’s not smart to put our hope solely in those two individuals. (And if anyone is counting on this - don’t put your hope in Becerra either. He is the new guy, and he will most likely respect the decision that has already been made.)

It’s ALWAYS better to put your eggs in different baskets. Remember to support the things you actually have more control over. At this point, that means responding to SEIU’s call for a strike if CalHR continues to ignore us by bargaining in bad faith. Show them your determination: you really WILL GO on strike if that’s what it takes.

Don’t forget, this is always about building pressure.

So, stay offended. Forcing a 4-day RTO with a ZERO raise in the midst of a high cost of living and inflation is an insult and a mockery to state workers.

Stay informed, and keep your colleagues updated on what’s happening. Sometimes we get lost because there is just too much going on, and we don’t know where to focus. No need to overcomplicate this. We have a union (although not a perfect one). They take our voices directly to the bargaining table, and we show up in numbers to prove that WE ARE SERIOUS.

If CalHR continues to play dumb, who knows? We might see a headline like this sometime in early 2027:

“Newsom’s Final Term Ends on a Rocky Note as Fed-Up Workers Launch a Statewide Strike—The First in SEIU Local 1000 History”

This doesn’t look good on him, although we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

2016 was the last time we had a confirmed strike date (December 5, 2016). An agreement was reached exactly two days before that scheduled statewide walkout.

CalHR thought they were more patient than us, until they realized the strike was real.

FYI - facts about the contract negotiations and strike threats: 2016 vs. 2026

- Governor / Administration:

2016: Jerry Brown

2026: Gavin Newsom

- Inflation & Economy:

2016: Low and stable (1.5%–2.3%); economy was normalizing post-recession.

2026: Elevated (3.4%–3.5%); driven by high California energy costs.

- Union Core Demands:

2016: Modest raises to keep up with inflation and minimal health care cuts.

2026: 20% raise over 3 years, locked-in telework protections, and lower health care costs.

- State's Opening Offer:

2016: Small wage bumps paired with forcing workers to pay for retiree healthcare out-of-pocket.

2026: 0% raise for 2026 and a mandatory 4-day return-to-office (RTO) mandate.

- State Financial Health:

2016: Robust surplus from a tech boom, but heavily funneled into the Rainy Day Fund.

2026: Rebounding revenues coming in billions higher than early deficit predictions.

- Strike Readiness & Prep:

2016: Maximum brink; members authorized a strike and locked in a hard Dec. 5 launch date.

2026: High threat; union launched "Strike Schools" to train 100k members for potential rolling walkouts.

- State Anti-Strike Strategy:

2016: CalHR filed an emergency injunction lawsuit to try and declare the strike illegal.

2026: CalHR claims a strike is legally premature under the ongoing PERB negotiation timeline.

- Legal Status & Outcome:

2016: Strike averted by 2 days; PERB approved the union's right to strike, forcing the state to grant an 11.5% raise.

2026: Ongoing dispute; contract expired June 30; union preparing a potential late-summer strike vote.

Be prepared.

Plus

Shoving us back into cubes, choosing micromanagement over a sustainable and modern workforce = pure stupidity.