Local 1000 says it will go all the way to the Supreme Court to fight any plan for a unilateral 15 percent pay cut...

The Legislature does not need more detailed fiscal analysis to grasp the failings of a budget scheme built on desperation and shortsightedness. A plan to sell, then lease back, state office buildings has only cynical expedience as a justification. And legislators should simply reject that approach.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers on Wednesday sharply criticized Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's cash-raising plan to sell off and then lease back 11 state properties, including the Supreme Court building in San Francisco's Civic Center.

Politics matter: One gov. candidate seeks to cut 40,000 jobsAsk Nancy: Answering members questions on new state legislationupdate_042810.pdf...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Employees of state and local government earn an average of 11% and 12% less, respectively, than comparable private sector employees. An analysis spanning two decades shows the pay gap between public and private sector employees has widened in recent years.

The Legislative Analyst's Office says the proposal would cost California $200 million a year. Even at double the current projected savings, the plan would be "one imperfect option among many."

A plan to get cash for the State by selling office buildings is under intense scrutiny tonight. The plan came under fire when two political appointees said they were fired by the Governor's Office for raising questions about the deal - a deal that could cost taxpayers up to $1.5 billion.

On today's show...we're talking about the 2010 race for governor in California.  We'll show you what the three candidates are saying and how they're platforms...

So how much do politics play a role in the decisions that judges render in trial court furlough lawsuits?

Add the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst Office to the growing chorus criticizing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to sell off 11 state-owned office buildings.Read more at SFGate.com...

Furloughs cause even long waits for DMV appointments, even longer lines

Every election season some members question why Local 1000 gets involved in politics. Elected state leaders have a direct impact on the wages and working conditions of state employees. And Local 1000 members have had a direct impact on elections. The answer is simple: politics matter to every state worker.

California labor unions on Monday launched what they said would be an aggressive campaign against former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman, who is running for the Republican nomination for governor.

In keeping up with Local 1000's goal to step-up politically, Attorney General Jerry Brown has been endorsed for the 2010 California gubernatorial race.  We'll explain...

Local 1000 is proud to launch our redesigned website offering a variety of new features including more news and videos, an improved site search, and several interactive tools.

Take a quick peak to learn how you can interact with the new homepage.

Will dispersing funding based on how state government performs benefit California? Performance-based budgeting must have planning and reliable benchmarks to succeed.

Local 1000 has met twice with the state, and more meetings are planned, over the effects of the creation of this new department on our membership.

Local 1000 was given notice on April 15, 2010 concerning academic calendars for CDCR, Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), and the Division of Adult Institutions (DAI). Local 1000 is scheduling meetings with the CDCR to finalize the calendars.

The State Personnel Board recently started sending letters to CDCR employees impacted by the Program 800, DJJ Rightsizing and Stark Closure Layoffs. These letters inform employees of their reemployment eligibility and should be checked for accuracy by the member. You may have eligibility for more than one classification. eemployment rights are statewide even though layoffs were conducted by county. Reemployment rights guarantee that impacted employees will be offered vacancies before CDCR can hire in any other way. CDCR must offer any vacancy in a classification to employees on the reemployment list for that classification in order of seniority.

Take this quiz to test your knowledge about the 2010 gubernatorial candidates' opinions of state workers.

The California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR) recently adopted changes to the Department Operations Manual (DOM) that will affect Local 1000-represented librarians and LTAs. CDCR did not notify the union of these changes. Local 1000 sent a letter to the department demanding a meet and confer over these changes.

The Department of Personnel Administration (DPA) has responded to Local 1000's request about impacted teachers being placed into librarian classifications.

Many Unit 3 members impacted by layoff moved into other SEIU bargaining units. The majority of impacted members moved into Units 1 and 4, with a smaller number moving into Units 15 and 20. If you are an employee who transferred in lieu of layoff, and you need more training, contact unit1@seiu1000.org.

Basic union dues are currently 1.5 percent of gross pay after the 13.86 percent furlough reduction, capped at $90 per month. If you were demoted in lieu of layoff it will take some time for your union dues to be adjusted. SEIU 1000 is being proactive in identifying members whose dues need to be lowered or refunded.

Local 1000 President Yvonne Walker stops in for a one-on-one interview. We'll show you how Local 1000 members are preserving the state's history, one dusty...

Identify outsourcing and save our jobsNew lawsuit seeks to overturn illegal 'self directed' furloughsSpecial fund furloughs remain during appeal, court saysupdate_042110.pdf...

California Prison Health Care Services (the receiver) and Maxor have opened a central fill pharmacy in Sacramento designed to alleviate the workload from individual institutions. The receiver's office also claims the central fill pharmacy will also provide better medical control and reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals overall.

A new Local 1000 legal action seeks to force the state to pay full wages to state workers on so-called "self-directed furloughs," including employees of 24-hour care facilities and the Employment Development Department.

We've made headway in the on-going fight against out-of-control workloads. The state has agreed to and is currently hiring 110 new Disability Insurance Program Representatives (DIPRs) in the Disability Insurance Branch. EDD has agreed to convert 24 intermittent Employment Program Representatives (EPRs) to permanent full time positions. In addition, Job Services recently hired 295 veterans as EPRs as limited term to work in their "Welcome Home Program."

Furloughs will remain in place during the appeals process for workers at non-General Fund departments, after the state Court of Appeal sided with Gov. Schwarzenegger on Monday. The appeals court decision blocks an Alameda County Superior Court judge's order which would have allowed non-General Fund workers to return to work immediately.

The first ever Local 1000 IT Professionals Conference was held the weekend of April 17 in downtown Sacramento. IT professionals were able to network, get hands-on training and learn about trends in a fast-changing industry.

Local 1000's EDD Task Force will meet with management April 6 and 7 to continue efforts to bring the department into compliance with contract language stipulating a ratio of 20 permanent intermittent employees for every 80 full-time workers.

State spends $34 billion on private contracts, including pricey, inefficient vendors.

As part of our ongoing campaign against wasteful outsourcing, Local 1000 is asking more members to point out examples of wasteful private vendor contracts in their workplaces.

Local 1000 has commissioned one of California's leading economic forecasting firms to analyze the state's plan to sell state buildings for short term cash.  We'll...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Just hours after Congress passed an $18 billion bill to restore unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed, President Barack Obama made it the law of the land.

By Juliet Williams, Associated Press WriterSACRAMENTO, Calif.--Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman insists she can, if elected, start saving California money by eliminating 40,000 state government...

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is proposing to transfer assigned staff vehicles to an office car pool and reduce tele-work options for employees who investigate allegations of patient abuse.

In California and nationally, SEIU remains an organization in the throes of transition. Amid the turmoil, Walker serves as head of the largest state employee union -- an increasingly difficult task as the state continues to wrestle with deep budget deficits. Walker and her union have led the charge against the governor's furlough plans, and remain a visible symbol of labor's continued power in the Capitol.

Furloughs will remain in place during the appeals process for our members working in Special Fund departments.  Local 1000's legal team explains the Court of...

The dust has finally settled on CDCR (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation) cuts in its educational and juvenile justice programs. A key issue now is making sure that employees who transferred to other positions in lieu of layoff receive the training they need to pass probation in their new classifications. In addition, employees who transferred to CCRA (Correctional Case Records Analyst) positions have the additional hurdle of passing a background check.

Andy Stern - the President of SEIU has announced his retirement after a 14 year tenure that saw SEIU locals across the country grow to more than two million members.

Most Local 1000 members collect modest pensions.

Call center comes through for workersLocal 1000 Resource Center FAQsupdate_041410.pdf...

The following is a list of the most frequently asked member questions at the Local 1000 Resource Center. Do you have a question? Call 866.471.SEIU (7348)

The Senate Budget Committee is taking up nearly a dozen bills that could revamp the state's budget process.  We'll tell you how state employees could...

The call came in to the Local 1000 Resource Center late one afternoon from one of 300 workers at the Employment Development Department (EDD) building in Rancho Cordova. A worker reported a serious natural gas leak in her building, but the supervisor was refusing to evacuate workers.

The important, but largely unheralded, work of Unit 11 workers at Fish and Game came front and center at the Northwest Fish Culture Conference held in early December in Redding. The annual fish culturists from a number of western states to exchange information and ideas about all aspects of fish culture.

Member Profile: George Cornell

As a Materials Research & Engineering Associate for Caltrans, George Cornell is responsible for specialized laboratory and field-testing of the resources and manufactured products Caltrans uses to build and maintain our highways and bridges.

Responding to growing concerns about worker safety at EDD offices that are open to the public, Local 1000 President Yvonne Walker sent a letter to EDD management calling for immediate remedies.

Local 1000 is working with SEIU International to lobby Congress for full funding of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) - which will increase resources available to unemployed workers through EDD's Job Services Division.

This letter was sent to the Office of Labor Relations (OLR) for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) in response to their request for a formal grievance conference. We believe this letter is sufficient to notice the OLR that all SEIU members are ready to attend these conferences. This letter further instructs that all conferences will be attended by SEIU staff to support the grievant.

AB 790, which would have funded state worker payroll with a continuous appropriation, went down to defeat on the Senate floor Thursday. The measure fell four votes short of the 27 needed to reach two-thirds passage as an "urgency" bill that would have taken immediate effect had it become law. Republicans withheld their votes after failing to get similar appropriations concessions for vendors that do business with the state.

Selling houses for a living usually means you're in the hope business, selling a slice of the American dream. Broker Cherie Tiscareno is on the other side, counseling state workers on the verge of losing their homes.

The Schwarzenegger administration has removed appointees from two oversight bodies that must sign off on its plan to sell California state office buildings, replacing potential critics of the move with people who support it.

Local 1000 is sponsoring new legislation which would allow out-of-work Californians much needed, in-person assistance with their unemployment claims.

AB 1827 addresses gaps in current law, and would require the Employment Development Department (EDD) to assign one UI representative to each of at least 50 one-stop and career centers.

Member leads campaign to help thousands avoid foreclosureFAQ: Legal battle over Special Fund department furloughsYour Questions Answeredupdate_040710.pdf...

SBX8 29--a bill that would exempt state workers from furloughs that work in positions funded by at least 95 percent by sources other than the General Fund, employees of the Franchise Tax Board and the Board of Equalization--was vetoed by the Governor on March 24, 2010.

As hiring continues at EDD, Local 1000 continues to press for improvements on a range of health and safety issues affecting members across the state.

Local 1000 attorneys will file arguments in the state Court of Appeal, working to end furloughs for non-General Fund members.  Our attorneys talk about the...

Claudia Gambaro often looks for ways to help fellowstate workers but she never predicted she would become Local 1000's expert in helping them avoid foreclosure.

Letter from Brad Willis, Unit 11 Bargaining Chair

The recent deaths of three Department of Fish and Game (DFG) employees in a helicopter accident are a sobering reminder of the danger - and the importance - of the work we do for the people of California.

AB 1897, introduced by Dave Jones (D-Sacramento) and sponsored by Local 1000, would repeal the authority of the Director of Finance to sell assets of the State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF).

An SEIU-sponsored bill would improve the delivery of services to the unemployed. AB 1827, which has been introduced by Assembly Members Juan Arambula (Ind-Fresno) and Jose Solario (D-Anaheim), would amend the Unemployment Insurance Code to require California to have available walk-in unemployment insurance (UI) services, provided by current UI-funded and fully-trained workers in regional one-stop centers.

Local 1000's ongoing fight against out-of-control workloads has resulted in EDD's commitment to hire an additional 110 permanent intermittent Disability Insurance Program Representatives.

An appellate court handed California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a small victory by ordering thousands of state workers to remain on furlough this Friday.

CBS Sunday Morning Contributor Ben Stein on why we should be just a little more grateful for the people who work in government ...

The next election for the Unit 15 Bargaining Unit Negotiating Committee and alternate vacancies is on Friday, May 2, 2010.

We just witnessed one of the greatest legislative achievements in recent U.S. history - and now it's time to celebrate. Millions of health care activists made health reform possible, and now you can own a piece of this historic movement.

Local 1000 members are taking issue with a recent report by the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) alleging that Caltrans is overstaffed.

"This report is flawed, overlooks key facts, and will only discourage state workers from making extra efforts to keep up productivity in spite of furloughs," said George Cornell, a materials tester in Sacramento.