u/avatarandfriends

Follow the below steps and demand that that your State Senator supports our right to telework because right now, this is the most impactful action that you can take:

Identify your State Senator HERE** **(this will take less than 1 minute) and use the sample script below to demand our legislators support their state workers (this will take less than 2 minutes).

DO NOT MENTION CHILD CARE OR PETS OR CARE FOR YOUR ELDERS UNLESS IT’S BEFORE OR AFTER WORK HOURS.

Hi, my name is [Your name, job title, agency, neighborhood], and I’m calling to respectfully ask Senator [Name] to vote for AB 1729 when it makes its way to the Senate floor. This bill isn’t just about convenience. It’s about effectiveness, environmental impact, and financial responsibility which is all backed by research, the state’s own findings in the telework audit, and further confirmed by the Senate Labor Committee, the Senate Governmental Organizational Committee, and the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senator [NAME] has an important voice in the Senate, and I’m asking for them to vote for AB 1729. Please urge them to vote YES on AB 1729..
Thank you so much for your time.

If you have more than a 50 mile commute and have not been given an exemption, please DM me ASAP.

We have a reporter who wants to report on this by TOMORROW and force agencies to explain their stance.

From CAPS:

This evening, hours after bargaining concluded for the day, we received notice from CalHR that the State Budget Act of 2026 does not contain funding for our 2026 special salary adjustments. You may be as shocked as we are because yesterday the Governor signed the 2026 Budget Act announcing a historically “huge” balanced budget of $351.7 Billion. We will do our due diligence to analyze CalHR’s assertion and are working to develop our plan to push back on this. In the meantime, show up tomorrow! 

We will continue to fight to defend our contract, the crucial work we do for our State and the people of California. 

[there’s more to the email but ending the copy and paste here]
————————
CAPS was out of contract for 4 years and the difference was they finally had a guaranteed July 2026 raise in the side letter.

Newsom is not honoring a legally binding contract and gave CAPS no notice until the last minute.

He is truly a vile, evil man.

Take action and join the July 1 rally here for CAPS here:
https://www.jotform.com/form/261725119984163

SEIU: https://www.seiu1000.org

DON’T JUST UPVOTE.
TAKE ACTION!
FIGHT BACK on RTO!
izzy.gardon@gov.ca.gov; nathan.Barankin@gov.ca.gov; Julia.Diamond@gov.ca.gov; Cynthia.Stein@gov.ca.gov; Holly.Martinez@gov.ca.gov; Jamie.Callahan@gov.ca.gov; Bob.Salladay@gov.ca.gov; Nani.Coloretti@gov.ca.gov; Ian.Ordonez@gov.ca.gov; David.Sapp@gov.ca.gov; Vivek.Viswanathan@gov.ca.gov; Christine.Aurre@gov.ca.gov; govpressoffice@gov.ca.gov; margaret.arsala@gov.ca.gov;Nick.Maduros@govops.ca.gov; monica.erickson@calhr.ca.gov; Paul.Starkey@calhr.ca.gov;gavin.newsom@gov.ca.gov; thisisgavinnewsom@iheartradio.com

We have 70,000 people in this subreddit. If even 10% takes the time to send an email with your personal story, that's 7,000 emails for them to FINALLY hear us.

These are some of Newsom's senior level staff. We need them to convince Newsom to rescind his EO.

Also added Newsom's email that he uses for his Podcast.

Use your personal email, not work email! BCC them.

Please remember to be RESPECTFUL AND PROFESSIONAL.

Only mention childcare or elder care if it's before/after work hours.

BONUS: Use this tool to post comments on Newsom's Instagram, which he cares deeply about: https://www.reddit.com/r/CAStateWorkers/s/gR4NP7E8h7

------------------------------------------------------------

Hello,

[INSERT YOUR PERSONAL STORY OR YOUR ARGUMENTS]

I respectfully request a response by next Monday, June 29, 2026. If I do not receive a response by then, I will continue to follow up weekly.

https://secure.ngpvan.com/RTp4ogHBI0G866q5SnvkFA2?emci=dc04bc50-e365-f111-8fcb-000d3a14b640&emdi=5df2d97e-9266-f111-8fcb-000d3a14b640&ceid=83091092

We need more folks to come talk directly to legislators about the telework bill.

This link is from SEIU.

Join SEIU Local 1000 at the upcoming Senate hearings for Assembly Bill 1729. Stand in solidarity and add your name as a proud supporter of AB 1729 and our union's fight for fair telework policies!

2 Hearing dates below:

Senate Labor Committee
Wednesday, June 17
9:30 am, Please arrive at 9:00 am
1021 O Street, Room 2200

Senate Governmental Organization Committee
Tuesday, June 23
9:00 am, Please arrive at 8:45 am
1021 O Street, Room 1200

(This committee is a harder lift and will need even more encouragement and public comment from us!)

SEIU RSVP link:
https://secure.ngpvan.com/_812fw3AYU2K45B6mfOKJg2

CAPS RSVP link:
https://form.jotform.com/261615144729156

The depts had one week to respond, which would’ve been last Wednesday, June 3.

Are there any news from CASE on the responses from depts?

https://calattorneys.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CASE-CEQA-Exhaustion-Letter-Caltrans.pdf

From this BCP, the state is spending $46 million for a parking garage downtown to add 605 new (net) parking spaces.

So only $76K per parking space so they can spend more taxpayer money on useless RTO that creates unnecessary problems for everyone.

At least this will make the downtown developers and Newsom happy.

https://bcp.dof.ca.gov/2627/FY2627_ORG7760_BCP9071.pdf

Angry?

TAKE ACTION NEXT WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10.
No https://www.seiu1000.org/contract-action-center/

CAPS just released an email on how RTO bargaining with the state is going.

In summary, CalHR is sticking to its 4 day RTO Executive Order thus far.

1. We need to FIGHT RTO NOW with these actions:

https://www.reddit.com/r/CAStateWorkers/s/C4Xfyez3yR

2. Sign up for SEIU’s event tomorrow where we will be distributing flyers to legislators:

https://secure.ngpvan.com/-D8R4Nu_rUGZq_hnWXKh-w2?emci=6775eb37-274b-f111-8ef2-000d3a14b640&emdi=a07b410a-5f4d-f111-8ef2-000d3a14b640&ceid=83904636

Hello, r/CAStateWorkers

UPDATE 5.12.26

I recommend focusing on sending in position letters and calling other members of the committee instead of the committee chair, Buffy Wicks. You are welcome to try calling the committee chair, but at this point, it appears their phone lines are fairly jammed and going to voicemail. Prioritize Actions #1 and #3.

I hope the weekend treated you well. I heard from many folks both online and offline who contacted Appropriations Committee members after reading this last post regarding the State Telework Bill (AB 1729) currently moving through our legislature. I want to thank you all for staying active and staying motivated. It's a long process but we will do what we can to get this over the finish line.

A brief recap on AB 1729's history:

- AB 1729 has been on a remarkable journey so far, all things considered. It was introduced by Assm. Lee (always worth reaching out to them to thank them for their work on this bill) back in February and co-authored by Placerville's own and telework audit commissioner, Assm. Hoover

- It moved into the Public Employment policy committee where it passed with no objections. A bipartisan group of committee members celebrated the bill and shared how they see it as a big win for the state. The Committee Chair remarked how she would have at one point been skeptical of telework as a former office-based state worker, but she recognizes the importance of it now and wants to see it continue

- The bill picked up EIGHT co-authors. From the public employment committee: Tasha Boerner and Stephanie Nguyen (who was once skeptical of telework but swayed by outreach from Elk Grove state workers!)... from the budget subcommittee on state administration who held a hearing with CalHR and DGS last year: Sharon Quirk-Silva (chair), Liz Ortega, and Christopher Ward... and from the full assembly (folks who probably just heard about the bill and thought it sounded great)... Damon Connolly, James Ramos, and Dr. Corey Jackson

- The bill moved into its next committee, Appropriations, where it is being reviewed until May 14th as part of the suspense file. This committee can advance the bill further or end its run for now. What we want is for this bill to be released from suspense.

This week. We can continue to reach out to the Appropriations Committee. We have 3 days until its review period is complete. I have 3 actions I think that you can take to move the bill along.

Let's call it 3 Days, 3 Actions. You can do this in any order you like, but here's what I'll do.

Day #1: Email a position letter to the Appropriations Committee. If you are a supervisor or someone with knowledge of RTO costs in your agency, I will SUPER DUPER encourage you to write in a letter.

You can do this from whatever email you like. No websites needed. Though if you prefer to be extra sure your email is going to the right place you can click "Submit a Position Letter" on the committee's homepage.

Email To: approps.committee@assembly.ca.gov

Subject Line: Position Letter - Support AB 1729

(or some variant... just as long as it's clear you are supporting AB 1729 and offering a position letter)

Body:

Introduce yourself and your job within the state workforce. State plainly that you are encouraging the Appropriations committee to release AB 1729 from suspense so that it can proceed for a full debate and vote on the assembly floor.

Include reasons why this bill should move ahead (remember this is an Appropriations committee, so arguments about the bill's fiscal benefits are CRUCIAL).

Our top line reason for why this bill should advance is "The estimated $10M in telework oversight costs cited by DGS are vastly outweighed by the savings this bill generates through shedding unnecessary office space and workstation purchases."

- Cite any knowledge you have of RTO costs within your agency (new office leases, additional workstations, furniture purchases, hoteling failures, staff retention issues, hiring difficulties, productivity/morale drag, inefficiencies tied to RTO)

- If you have no direct knowledge of RTO costs in your agency, cite numbers from the California telework audit in 2024. Like...

• Just last year alone, 19 large departments spent $117M on unused office space accommodating a 2-day mandate
• The state could save up to $225M annually (a quarter billion? whatever sounds tastier to you) and shed 30% of its office footprint if it maintained existing telework flexibilities

- Close out respectfully reminding the committee that the costs of this bill fall far short of the savings. Remind staff that telework enables our state to recruit and retain a talented workforce all while saving vast sums of money

Day #2: Contact the committee chair, Buffy Wicks

916-319-2014

Be short and sweet. As best as possible.

When the staffer answers, share your name, your role in the state workforce... say that you're calling to encourage Assm. Wicks, the Appropriations chair, to release AB 1729, the state telework bill, from suspense so it can be debated and voted on by the full Assembly.

In addition, if you aren't quickly shuffled off the phone, provide any one reason from the email talking points above to explain. Anything that communicates "Spending a few million on oversight to prevent hundreds of millions of dollars of wasted facilities cost is well worth it."

Be polite and respectful. They have probably received lots of calls since last week. Courtesy means a lot. Thank the staffer for their time.

Day #3: Contact additional Assemblymembers

- Sacramento residents, contact committee member Maggy Krell.

(916) 319-2006.

She has previously authored letters opposing the 4-day RTO mandate last year. To the best of my knowledge, we have not heard from her on the issue since. Encourage her to support the release of AB 1729 from suspense so that it can move to the Assembly floor. Cite any of your preferred talking points, but emphasize fiscal reasons.

In addition, please call the remaining members. Easy way to split this up is to just divide the remaining members by birth month. Find your birth month, make a call.

Encourage any member to support the release of AB 1729, the state telework bill, from suspense so that it can be voted on the Assembly floor. Cite any of the fiscal talking points you'd like but remember to communicate that any estimated costs of the bill are far outweighed by facility cost savings.

- Rancho / Folsom / Placerville residents - Josh Hoover

916-319-2007

Thank him for co-authoring the bill and ask for his support in having it removed from suspense and onto the full Assembly floor

January - Dr. Joaquin Arambula (Fresno) - 916-319-2031

February - Lisa Calderon (Whittier) - 916-319-2056

March - David Tangipa (Mariposa) - 916-319-2008

April - Tri Ta (Orange County) - 916-319-2070

May - Jose Luis Solache Jr. (Los Angeles) - 916-319-2062

June - Gail Pellerin (Santa Cruz) - 916-319-2028

July - Blanca Pacheco (Los Angeles) - 916-319-2064

August - Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins (San Diego) - 916-319-2079 ***New Appropriations Member!***

September - Mark Gonzalez (Los Angeles) - 916-319-2054

October - Mike Fong (Alhambra) - 916-319-2049

November - Diane Dixon (Huntington Beach) - 916-319-2072

December - Jessica Caloza (Los Angeles) - 916-319-2052

***A tidbit that can help calls to Los Angeles appropriations members. According to the state telework audit, the Ronald Reagan State Building is going to require about $660M to renovate in the coming years. Under the current 2-day RTO mandate, it only has about 20% occupancy. The state can divest from this building and immediately realize enormous savings that counter-balance the $10M annual spend on AB 1729. Telework oversight and right-sizing office space affords us enormous savings. Support AB 1728***