California state workers pursue strike authorization amid contract dispute with Newsom administration

SEIU Local 1000, which represents about 100,000 California state employees across nine bargaining units, announced a strike-authorization vote as negotiations with the Newsom administration over pay (a 20% raise over three years), telework benefits (including $25 commuting stipends), and health coverage stall. The union accuses the state of bargaining in bad faith, and a yes vote would empower leadership to call a strike if talks don’t improve. A previous authorization in 2016 preceded a near-walkout, and a 2023 CAPS-UAW strike showed the potential impact. While tentative agreements have been reached on 13 issues, no final deal exists, and legislative action remains pending.