Posts tagged social workers
Ballot Question 2 asks: Should public defenders have the right to unionize?
September 29, 2026 // Question 2 would allow employees of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, or CPCS, to participate in collective bargaining. If they negotiate a contract, CPCS would then be required to request the funding needed for that agreement from the governor within 30 days. The Yes On 2 campaign was organized to help grant public defenders the right to join a union. The campaign’s central argument states: CPCS employees should have the same opportunity to organize and negotiate collectively that many others have.
20 healthcare strikes in 2026
September 28, 2026 // Union activity in healthcare continues in 2026, with 20 reported strikes since the beginning of the year. Some of these actions involve healthcare workers and leaders across hospitals and clinics in multiple states.
Op-ed: Los Angeles Schools Run Out of Other People’s Money
August 11, 2026 // Covid dollars from Washington turbocharged hiring at public schools and papered over their structural budget problems. But now that the federal money is drying up, the red ink is starting to gush. According to the Labor Department’s monthly jobs report on Friday, local government education shed 49,600 jobs in July—the leading contributor to the nation’s 23,000 employment decline. Ground zero is the Los Angeles Unified School District, the country’s second largest. Its overseers at the Los Angeles County Office of Education last month warned that the district meets the criteria for a “Lack of Going Concern” designation. In the business world, the terminology means a company is at risk of going bankrupt.
5 largest healthcare strikes in 2026, involving 76,000 workers
August 7, 2026 // Healthcare strikes in 2026 have drawn in tens of thousands of workers across hospitals, health systems and home care settings, with disputes centering on wages, staffing and contract terms. Becker’s has tracked 17 strikes so far this year.
Wayne County public defenders launch strike over healthcare, wage fight
July 24, 2026 // The union, which represents not just lawyers but also investigators, social workers and paralegals, has been fighting to maintain cost-free health insurance in addition to a 3% annual raise, instead of the 1% raises they’ve been offered.
Brooklyn Defender Services may strike if deal fails
July 16, 2026 // Nearly 500 employees could walk off the job, including 280 attorneys, 80 social workers, and 160 other staff members, such as paralegals and investigators.
Commentary: A teacher strike would hurt kids, but LAUSD can’t afford to give in to the union’s demands
April 13, 2026 // The bottom line is that LAUSD can’t afford the union’s demands. A lengthy teachers’ strike would harm students, but giving in to UTLA risks weakening the district’s ability to serve those students for years to come. For their part, teachers and other union employees could come to regret whatever concessions UTLA manages to squeeze out of the district. LAUSD has already approved a plan to lay off 3,200 employees, and they’ll need to cut more if UTLA gets its way.
Oakland Schools, Teachers Union Reach Deal, Avert Strike
March 1, 2026 // Last summer, it just regained local control after 20 years in state receivership. Without factoring in the price of the new deal, OUSD is eyeing $102 million in cuts by June. Interim Superintendent Denise Saddler told the school board this week that without those reductions, “we won’t be able to pay all the people on our payroll in the fall. We don’t have the money in the budget for next year.” On Wednesday, OUSD approved cutting nearly 400 staff positions, including 180 filled by OEA members, through early retirement buyouts, elimination of vacant positions, and layoffs. Altogether, that is estimated to save about $11 million annually
UAW member wants federal monitor to investigate local president
December 20, 2025 // A member of UAW Local 6000, based in Lansing, Mich., has asked a federal court-appointed monitor to investigate the local's president, Rachael Dickinson, for alleged corruption and retaliation. An internal UAW investigation found Dickinson engaged in a pattern of discrimination toward minority women, including stripping elected leaders of their duties. The request compares Dickinson's alleged actions to those of UAW International President Shawn Fain, who is also under investigation by the monitor for retaliation.
5,800 Sharp HealthCare workers to strike in California
November 17, 2025 // “While it’s unfortunate that the union leaders have rejected our generous economic proposal, our highest priority is making sure our patients continue to receive outstanding care should a strike actually occur,” Rita Essaian, DM, MHA, senior vice president and chief people officer at Sharp, said in a statement. “If a strike takes place, it’s important for San Diegans to know that we will ensure adequate staffing levels at all times with Sharp staff and the specially trained traveling nurses.”