When Governor Newsom and the State Legislature called unions back to the table to help address the state’s budget shortfall, SEIU Local 1000 members sent a clear message: We will not let the state balance the budget on our backs!
Thanks to months of tough negotiations and member action, we reached a side letter agreement that protects our pay, defends telework, and lays the groundwork for future bargaining.
The agreement secures the 3% general salary increase (GSI) we negotiated in our 2023 contract. That raise takes effect on July 1, 2025, for all SEIU Local 1000-represented employees. We also locked in another 3% raise for July 2026—deferred to July 2027, giving our members added economic security for the future.
But this agreement isn’t just about wages—it’s about protecting the quality of life we’ve fought for. The Governor’s Return-to-Office (RTO) mandate is paused through July 1, 2026. Departments must return to the telework agreements that existed before March 2, 2025, and they’re blocked from making new RTO policy changes for 90 days following the agreement. This is a huge step forward in our fight for flexible telework.
We also secured a two-year suspension of OPEB contributions starting in August 2025, meaning bigger paychecks to help offset the impact of the state’s temporary PLP. Read the full side letter at seiu1000.org/BudgetFight.
And most importantly, we retained the right to bargain again in 2026. This fight isn’t over—but together, we’ve proven that when we stand together, we win.
This Win Proves That There’s Power in Numbers
We didn’t sit back while the State tried to take away our raise and force us back to the office. We stood together — and we won. But the fight isn’t over. Membership is how we stay strong, stay united, and keep winning.
So just to be clear, we are getting a 3% raise, plus a two-year suspension of OPEB, plus 5 PLP hours a month?
Whatever your comment, thank you so much for everything you do for us!
I am a paying member. 🙂
Great job. Continue to walk in victory!
Thank you.
Union, YES!
Great job 👏🏾 we stand together to fight for what’s fair wages for us hardworking healthcare employees. 💪🏾
Thank you for standing beside the state workers. We appreciate all you do for us. Keep up the good work.
Hello this is Samuel with the Bakersfield construction office. I’m a union member for local 1000. I just saw my paycheck and why was my gross pay less? I understand if there’s gonna be no raises or converting the 3% raise to time off hours but when they touched our gross pay, that’s like being demoted. I would like some answers please. Thank you.
Hi Samuel – Thank you for reaching out and for sharing your concerns. We know paychecks have raised questions for a lot of us.
On July 1, we received a 3% General Salary Increase (GSI) that permanently raised our base pay. That’s important, because our CalPERS retirement benefits are calculated from base pay — meaning this raise will strengthen our retirement for the long run.
At the same time, the state began taking the 3% Personal Leave Program (PLP) deduction from our gross pay. Because PLP is calculated off our new, higher base pay, it’s slightly larger than the raise itself. That’s why your gross pay will appear lower.
The good news is that starting August 1, OPEB deductions were paused, which means our net pay is now higher than before.
It’s also important to know that everyone’s paycheck may look a little different depending on their individual circumstances. If you’re concerned something isn’t correct, you can always request a paycheck audit from your HR office for peace of mind.
We completely understand how frustrating it feels to see gross pay drop after years of hard work. Please know that the 3% raise is locked into your base pay going forward, and that makes a long-term difference both in paychecks and in retirement.