By admin 
Thousands of SEIU Local 1000 members walked off the job Wednesday, staging picket lines at 20 locations across California and marching to the state Capitol. The union, which has been without a contract since late June, is pushing back against what it calls bad-faith bargaining by the state.
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FULL STORY: Strike update: What picketing California state workers are saying during Wednesday walkout
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Here are key takeaways and next steps:
- SEIU Local 1000, California’s largest state worker union with about 100,000 members, organized five strike lines in Sacramento and 15 more across California, from San Diego to Eureka.
- The union President Anica Walls said the strike was a “lawful unfair practice strike,” telling members the state needs to “come back and bargain in good faith.” CalHR unsuccessfully tried to block the walkout through the Public Employment Relations Board, which acts as the state’s labor referee.
- Top union priorities include a 20% raise across three years, telework provisions with $25 commuting stipends for in-person workers and higher employer contributions for health benefits.
- CalHR spokesperson Angela Musallam said the agency “remains focused on achieving a fair and responsible agreement with SEIU Local 1000 and continues to be available at the bargaining table.”
- Newsom drew sharp criticism from workers over his four-day return-to-office mandate that took effect July 1. The walkout is only the second state worker strike in California history, both occurring under Newsom.
- SEIU Local 1000 is prepared to hold the picket line until a deal is made. That could mean waiting for a new governor next year. The union has endorsed Democrat Xavier Becerra.
- As of Tuesday, mediations are next scheduled for Oct. 30.
This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence based on our own originally reported, written and published content. Before publishing, journalists reviewed this content in compliance with McClatchy Media’s AI policy.
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This story was originally published October 22, 2026 at 12:25 PM.