By admin 
A union that represents nearly 100,000 California state workers is holding strike schools starting this weekend to educate its members on what to know if a strike unfolds.
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SEIU Local 1000 will hold its first strike school 10 a.m. Saturday at John F. Kennedy High School, 6715 Gloria Drive in Sacramento, according to its website. Three virtual strike schools are scheduled for July 30, Aug. 12 and Aug. 27.
The union’s president, Anica Walls, said members will learn worker rights and get an inside look at where negotiations stand. Chief negotiator Bobby Roy is expected to give updates.
“They’ll also hear from Kerianne Steele, an experienced labor law attorney specializing in public sector strikes, who will explain workers’ rights, including when and how state workers can legally strike,” Walls wrote in a statement.
Strike schools come after the union filed a complaint Wednesday with the Public Employment Relations Board, accusing the state of bargaining in bad faith by mischaracterizing a 2025 side letter and rejecting proposals affecting the state’s budget, such as wages and benefits, at the last minute.
SEIU Local 1000’s latest contract expired at the end of June, and Roy previously said the union doesn’t plan to rush an agreement.
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The clock is ticking before the legislative session ends in late August. Legislative approval is required before any agreement would go to Gov. Gavin Newsom for a signature. If an agreement is made during recess and lacks approval, it would be considered tentative.
“We’re going to take our time to get the right deal to do things right,” Roy said on Wednesday. “We’re not going to (fast-track an agreement) because when you rush, you tend to make mistakes.”
Although strike schools are underway, it’s unclear if a strike is on the horizon, and the union has not announced a timeline.
SEIU Local 1000 reports that 750 members checked-in at a picket line Wednesday outside the California Department of Human Resources, where members asked for increased wages and flexible telework policies. Most state worker were mandated to work in the office four days a week starting July 1.
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