On Oct. 21, local members of California’s largest public-sector union the Service Employees International Union, Local 1000 (SEIU 1000) hosted a picket line from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown San Bernardino at the Rosa Parks Building, 464 W 4th St. The demonstration was one of 17 to take place through the state in response to alleged bad faith bargaining practices from the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR), the organization which negotiates on Governor Gavin Newsom’s behalf.
As the first in the union’s 44 year history, SEIU 1000 received authorization to strike in late September after the Public Employment Relations Board sided with them in a complaint filed against CalHR. The complaint cited delayed negotiations and outright rejection of proposals which largely advocated for wage increases, hybrid flexibility and travel compensation among other items.
Tristan Acker, an Employment Developmental Department (EDD) state disability employee, local charter board member and bargaining team representative for the union in the current negotiations expressed a necessity for the assembly, stating, “The main thing from my perspective that that looks like is the state waiting until the last day of our contract to even respond to us about raises. We go to work every day, we come on time, we come prepared … but the Governor and the head of CalHR are not held accountable for the last day of the validity of our contract, finally saying no to all of our raises, that’s not a negotiation.”
SEIU 1000 has reported that thousands of workers engaged in the statewide demonstrations, with around 15,000 people having rsvp’d for the San Bernardino picket line. There, workers walked around the Rosa Parks building with signs calling on the state to negotiate with the union — some reading “fair contracts now,” “no bad faith bargaining” and “respect state workers”. Others gathered on the corner of W. 4th St. and N. E. St. to hear union leaders and allies speak.
President of District Labor Council 703, Community on political education chair statewide and EDD unemployment worker Amy Valdez described the energy of the picket as a ‘nervous excitement,’ stating, “None of us actually wanted to come out here and I think that that’s key… A lot of people are just excited to come together and see that it’s not just me. It’s not just me that’s struggling. We are all here.”
SEIU 1000 has since reported that they are continuing to pursue fair bargaining, stating “If the State refuses to do what is right, we are prepared to escalate and keep holding the line.”
Newsome’s office has declined to comment on the strike, citing ongoing negotiations. Meanwhile, CalHR Deputy Director of Communications Agela Musallam has said that the organization will engage in fair bargaining with the union, stating, “CalHR is moving through the impasse procedures and participating in good faith in mediation with SEIU with the goal of securing a fair and responsible agreement for California’s state workforce.”
