California state employees walked off the job Oct. 21 in a one-day strike that SEIU Local 1000 said followed alleged bad-faith bargaining by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration over a new contract.
The union classified the action as an unfair-practice strike, saying it was responding to the administration’s conduct at the bargaining table. Talks cover pay, health care contributions and remote-work terms. The California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) said it remains available to negotiate a fair agreement.
SEIU Local 1000 says it represents more than 100,000 state workers, with more than 95,000 eligible to join a strike line. Those figures describe the union’s represented workforce and eligibility, not how many employees took part. The union lists nurses, educators, information technology professionals, analysts and custodians among its members. It says workers who joined the walkout will lose pay for the hours they missed and describes the strike as its first.
The union proposed general salary increases of 7% in 2026, 7% in 2027 and 6% in 2028, as well as higher state contributions toward health care. Its previous contract expired June 30, 2026. A side agreement reached in 2025 deferred a previously approved 3% general increase from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2027.
Telework is another point of disagreement. California’s policy sets at least four days a week in the office as the default for affected employees, with individual exceptions; implementation was postponed until July 1, 2026. Newsom’s office says the policy is intended to improve collaboration and government operations.
The California Department of General Services estimated that three remote-work days a week could reduce by about 30% the state-owned and leased office space it manages. The California State Auditor estimated that such a reduction could eventually save up to $225 million annually, while cautioning that savings could take years and require upfront costs. The auditor also said the four-day office rule limits potential savings because employees in the office more than half the week need dedicated workstations.
On Sept. 29, the general counsel of the Public Employment Relations Board issued a complaint alleging that CalHR failed to bargain in good faith. The complaint is an allegation, not a final ruling. CalMatters reported that mediation is planned for Oct. 30.
