Member Protest, Arrests, Drive State Back to the Bargaining Table
Emergency rally shows the State we want a contract … now!

Article Published on August 18, 2023

After State negotiators called a three-day “blackout” of bargaining activity earlier this week, a strong member protest in Sacramento Wednesday demonstrated our resolve to win a good contract and drove the State back to the table in just one day.

Standing up, standing together, is how we got the State to listen. It’s how we win.

While hundreds of members were on hand to make our demands visible, we were joined by leaders from unions across California, as well as community leaders and elected officials, all allies in the fight for a livable wage.

Eight protestors were arrested for civil disobedience as they stood strong against the unfair treatment state workers have seen from the Governor’s bargaining team:

  • Lorena Gonzalez of the California Labor Council
  • Anica Walls, SEIU Local 1000 Vice President for Organizing/Representation
  • Francesca Wander, SEIU Local 1000 member at the Department of Housing and Community Development
  • Councilmember Katie Valenzuela, representing Sacramento’s District 4 on the City Council
  • Nina Schulman, SEIU Local 1000 Executive Director
  • Councilmember Caity Maple, representing Sacramento’s District 5 on the City Council
  • Jonah Paul, President of DLC 785, representing downtown Sacramento
  • Fabrizio Sasso, Executive Director of the Sacramento Central Labor Council

Television and print media covered the event, acting as a force multiplier to get our message of Respect Us! Protect Us! Pay Us! out to the people we serve. Click the links below to watch and read:

TV coverage: KCRA-TV and KTXL Fox40

Editorial coverage:  KPBS.org (San Diego); Sacramento Bee; Fox40 TV; and KCRA-TV

Our collective action worked, and our bargaining team was back at the table on Thursday and Friday, working to win a contract that respects us for the work we do and the contributions we make to California.