Posts tagged California
California Teachers Association president denies organization ordered coordinated strikes | California Politics 360
March 17, 2026 // "CTA doesn't line up contracts," said CTA President David Goldberg, stating local unions coordinated the effort that was then supported by the statewide group, not mandated. "It's the result of the conditions in which educators are working under decades of disinvestment." Goldberg noted that teachers statewide are asking for better pay and more resources for students. He said school districts in the Sacramento area, such as Twin Rivers and Natomas, are "hoarding millions." But school districts are not cash cows or revenue generators. Several school districts impacted are struggling financially, and they rely on state tax dollars. California has been grappling with back-to-back-to-back state budget deficits that are expected to persist over the next several years.
How CA state worker unions have fared since landmark SCOTUS decision reshaped membership
March 17, 2026 // According to eight years of data obtained from the State Controller’s Office on the number of dues-paying state workers, some unions have slowly bled members since the Janus decision. For other bargaining units, the membership level has dropped 20% over that period. Labor groups representing peace officers and prison staff, however, hardly saw a change pre- and post-Janus. And still other units have increased the percentage of workers who pay monthly membership dues, the data revealed. Nearly 10 years before the Janus decision, the public’s approval of unions hit a historic low. In 2009, Americans’ approval ratings dipped below 50% for the first and only time since the public opinion polling company Gallup began assessing ratings of labor unions in 1936. In the years since, the public’s opinion of labor unions has improved substantially. Last year, 68% of Americans reported approval of unions.
Commentary: The Federal Government Just Moved to Restore the Owner-Operator Model – Here Is What Actually Changed, What Did Not, and What You Still Need to Watch
March 16, 2026 // Three times in five years. That is how many times the federal standard governing whether an owner-operator is legally classified as an independent contractor or an employee has fundamentally shifted under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The 2021 Trump rule. The 2024 Biden rule. And now, on February 27, 2026, the Department of Labor’s formal proposal to rescind the 2024 rule and return to something close to the 2021 framework. Each time this pendulum swings, the trucking industry produces a wave of celebration or alarm depending on which direction it moved. The industry’s reaction to this latest move has been heavily celebratory — and not without reason. But if you are running a small fleet or operating as an owner-operator, the celebration needs to come with a clear-eyed understanding of what this rule change actually does, what it does not do, and where the real risk to your business model still sits.
UC-wide strike averted after tentative agreement with UAW
March 16, 2026 // A UC systemwide strike will likely be averted after UAW and the University of California reached a tentative agreement Friday after seven months of negotiations. UAW 4811, the union that represents 48,000 student employees, postdocs and academic researchers across the UC system, announced the tentative agreement in an email Friday night.
Union proposes 100% remote work as California state workers resume negotiations
March 14, 2026 // As California’s labor negotiators and state worker unions resume discussions over the governor’s return-to-office order, SEIU Local 1000 is making significant demands: full-time telework for eligible workers and free parking for employees who are required to be in person.
Opinion Aaron Withe: Why unions love the ‘Billionaire Tax’
March 12, 2026 // It has attracted a coalition of supporters — chief among them government employee unions. That might seem like an odd pairing, but the logic becomes clear once you trace where the money is supposed to go. Sanders’ legislation would redirect the projected revenue — $4.4 trillion over a decade — into an array of new federal spending programs, including direct cash payments, a federal salary floor for public school teachers and expanded Medicare benefits. Not coincidentally, pouring money into such programs means more federal employees, more union-eligible positions and more dues flowing into union bank accounts.
Dublin teachers go on strike after 11th-hour negotiations fail
March 10, 2026 // Students were encouraged to attend classes on Monday morning, as schools will be open on an adjusted schedule, with administrative staff and guest teachers. Breakfast and lunch will also be served. On Sunday, union members and community members rallied outside the bargaining meeting, hoping to reach a deal in the 11th hour, but it didn't come through.
Debate grows as states consider teacher strike bans
March 9, 2026 // Many states are considering new policies affecting teachers’ ability to strike or participate in protests, and education officials and labor advocates continue to debate the legality of teacher strikes. The strikes are banned or heavily restricted in roughly 38 states and Washington, D.C.
Karen Bass’ $30 per hour mandate for hotel workers sends shockwaves through the industry forcing job cuts and restaurant closures
March 8, 2026 // Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is getting backlash after signing a gradual wage hike for hotel workers into law, with a new report claiming the measure has already begun ravaging the industry. The report found that 650 workers have lost their jobs and restaurants have closed or reduced their operating hours since September when the new wage structure took effect. The law requires hotels in the city to increase the minimum wage for workers to $30 an hour in light of the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Twin Rivers, Natomas strike plans are tied to a larger statewide push
March 8, 2026 // The collaboration is part of a campaign known as “We Can’t Wait,” in which 32 union districts are working together to negotiate with their respective districts, with some coordinating contracts to expire at the same time. Teacher labor tensions have been building across California in recent months. According to Goldberg, teachers in Los Angeles, Oakland, and West Sacramento voted overwhelmingly to authorize strikes.