California's biggest public-sector union votes to strike on Oct. 21

SEIU Local 1000, representing roughly 100,000 California state workers, authorized a strike set for Oct. 21 after members voted overwhelmingly for a walkout if negotiations do not progress. Union president Anica Walls, a longtime Department of Social Services analyst, outlined demands that include a 20% across-the-board wage increase over three years, lower-cost health benefits and more flexible telework options, all of which have been turned down by the administration.

The California Public Employment Relations Board has appointed a mediator, and CalHR’s spokesperson Angela Mussallam said the state is still willing to negotiate. A key flashpoint is Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order requiring most employees to be in the office at least four days a week, a policy that unions have challenged through legislation and public pressure. This would be the first large-scale walkout by workers in agencies such as CalTrans, CalFire and the DMV, after a previous strike was averted a decade ago. The union argues the administration has not bargained in good faith, and the impasse was formally declared after unfair-labor-practice charges were filed in July.