California’s Largest State Worker Union Threatens Strike Amid Pay Dispute With Newsom

California’s largest state employee union is moving toward a potential strike as contract negotiations with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration remain stalled.

SEIU Local 1000, which represents roughly 100,000 California state workers, announced that members will vote on whether to authorize an unfair practice strike. Voting is scheduled to begin Sept. 9 and continue through Oct. 7.

The union’s previous contract expired June 30 after negotiations for a replacement agreement began in April. Union leaders accuse the state of bargaining in bad faith, including rejecting proposals involving compensation without providing meaningful counteroffers.

Pay is one of the biggest issues dividing the two sides. The union has pushed for a 20% general salary increase over three years — 7% in 2026, another 7% in 2027 and 6% in 2028.

Workers are also seeking more affordable health benefits and stronger telework protections. The dispute has intensified following Newsom’s return-to-office policy requiring many state employees to report to their workplaces four days per week.

Union leaders have proposed a $25 commuting stipend for workers required to work in person and have argued that expanded telework could reduce costs for both employees and the state.

SEIU Local 1000 filed an unfair practice charge with California’s Public Employment Relations Board in July, accusing the state of failing to bargain in good faith. The Newsom administration has disputed that characterization, with the California Department of Human Resources maintaining that the state continues to negotiate in good faith.

A successful authorization vote would not automatically trigger a walkout. It would instead give union leadership authority to move toward a strike while completing the legal process required for such an action.

The union last authorized a strike in 2016, although a walkout was ultimately avoided after the two sides reached a last-minute agreement. California state scientists did strike in 2023, marking the first-ever strike by California civil servants.

The latest showdown adds to growing tensions between Newsom’s administration and organized state workers over salaries, benefits and workplace policies. With the union now preparing for a strike vote, pressure is mounting on both sides to reach an agreement before the dispute escalates into a potentially significant disruption of California government operations.