California state workers are expected to launch a one-day strike Wednesday, with union members planning to picket in downtown Los Angeles over allegations that Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has failed to bargain in good faith on wages, health care and telework policies.
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Members of Service Employees International Union Local 1000 are scheduled to gather at noon Wednesday outside the Ronald Reagan State Building, 300 S. Spring St., as part of what union officials say will be the first strike in the organization’s history.
The union represents more than 100,000 state employees working in more than 140 departments and agencies, including nurses, custodians, cooks and office workers.
Union officials said 96.2% of members who participated in a strike authorization vote earlier this month supported the walkout.
“State workers show up for California every single day. Today is no different,” SEIU Local 1000 President Anica Walls said. “We are going on strike because we know the Newsom administration can and must do better. They must return to the table and bargain in good faith toward a contract that allows state workers to afford groceries, child care, rent and other necessities.”
“Striking is not an action we take lightly. It’s an action we are taking because state workers have no other choice. Together, we are fighting for the future of California’s dedicated public servants, and we are willing to do whatever it takes to win,” Walls added.
Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the union’s allegations or the planned strike.
The union said it has been negotiating a new contract with the California Department of Human Resources, which represents the Newsom administration in collective bargaining.
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Among its demands is a 20% general salary increase over three years, consisting of raises of 7% in 2026, 7% in 2027 and 6% in 2028.
Union officials are also seeking increased state contributions toward employee health care costs, including additional assistance for workers in rural communities who face limited medical options and higher out-of-pocket expenses.
Another key issue involves telework policies. The union is calling for rules based on operational needs that would provide greater transparency and accommodate employees who work remotely as well as those required to report to their workplaces.
SEIU Local 1000 contends the administration has resisted meaningful negotiations on those issues and previously deferred salary increases while pursuing broad telework restrictions.
The Public Employment Relations Board rejected a broader state request to halt the strike, allowing the walkout to proceed for approximately 95,000 workers, subject to essential-staffing requirements intended to protect public health and safety, according to the union.
SEIU Local 1000 said it agreed to exempt designated essential employees from participating in the walkout. Union officials warned that some state offices could be closed or operate with limited services during the strike.
The union last authorized a strike in 2016, but no statewide walkout followed. Wednesday’s action would mark its first strike, according to union officials.
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