May Day: Respect Our Work, Fund Our Future
May 1st is International Workers Day—a time to honor the power and dignity of working people across the globe. This year, it’s more than a celebration—it’s a call to action. As state workers, we’ve kept California running strong, and now we’re demanding what we’ve earned: the full 4% raise. If the State claims it can’t afford our additional 1% raise—just $125 million—then it has no business wasting nearly a billion taxpayer dollars on the unnecessary RTO mandate. This May Day, we’re standing up not just for fair wages, but for common sense, respect, and our right to telework.
Contact Elected Officials
We’re calling on all Local 1000 members to take action and make your voice heard. Reaching out to the Senate President pro Tempore, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the Governor is a powerful way to show how vital we are—and why we’ve earned the full 4% raise, which the state should be able to afford considering its wasteful RTO Mandate.
- Speaker of the Assembly: Robert Rivas
- Senate President Pro Tempore: Mark McGuire
- Governor of California: Gavin Newsom
These three elected officials have enormous influence over the state budget. Let them hear directly from the people who keep California running.
Phone Call Script – Make Your Voice Heard
Call the offices of the Senate President Pro Tem, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the Governor to tell them why you and all state workers across California deserve the full 4% raise, instead of watching the state waste taxpayer dollars on the unnecessary RTO mandate. Use the script below as a guide.
“Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a state worker and a proud member of SEIU Local 1000.
I’m calling today to urge you to support the full 4% raise that could be available in this year’s state budget. While the contract we negotiated allows some flexibility based on the state’s finances, I believe that I—and my fellow state workers—have earned the full 4% raise through the work we do every day.
Whether it’s processing vital services, supporting public safety, or helping families access the resources they need, we show up, we do the work, and we deliver for the people of California. We deserve the full 4% raise.
At the same time, I’m concerned about nearly a billion dollars being wasted on the unnecessary Return-to-Office mandate—a policy that wastes public funds while we are denied what we’ve earned.
Thank you for your time.”
Submit a Comment to Elected Officials
Use the message below to tell elected officials why you’ve earned the full 4% raise. Just copy the template and paste it into the comment section of their contact form.
Dear [Governor/Senate Pro Tem/Speaker of the Assembly],
My name is [Your Name], and I’m a proud California state worker and SEIU Local 1000 member. I’m writing to urge you to support including the full 4% raise for state workers in this year’s budget. Every day, we show up and keep California running.
Here’s just one example of the work I do:
[Insert a short personal story here—highlighting how your work serves Californians.]
We’ve earned the full 4%—and if the state can afford nearly a billion dollars for an unnecessary Return-to-Office mandate, it can afford to invest in the workers who deliver real results.
Thank you for your time and leadership.
Events Happening Around California – Show Up & Get Involved
Sacramento
Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
Time: 4pm – 6pm
Location: O Street at I-5, Crocker Park (across from the Art Museum)
Stand in solidarity with our other Union brothers and sisters by attending their events below:
Los Angeles
Event: Rally & March
Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
Time: 8:30am–5pm
Location: Olympic & N. Figueroa
Description: One Struggle, One Fight! Workers Unite!
RSVP here
Oakland
Event: Rally, March & Resource Fair
Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
Time: 3pm–7pm
Location: Fruitvale Plaza to San Antonio Park
Description: Defend, Uplift, Organize, Fight Back! All Power to the Workers!
More info here
San Francisco
Event: May Day in the Bay
Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
Time: 4pm
Location: SF Civic Center Plaza
Description: Immigrant and Workers’ Rights: One Struggle, One Fight!
RSVP here
San Jose
Event: March
Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
Time: Rally at 2:30pm, March at 4pm
Location: Begins at Story & King, ends at San Jose City Hall
More info here
Ukiah
Event: Stand Indivisible On May Day
Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
Time: 12:15pm
Location: Alex Thomas Plaza, 310 S State Street, Ukiah, CA 95482
Ventura
Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
Time: 11am – 1pm
Location: Ventura County Government Center, 800 S. Victoria Avenue, Ventura, CA 93003 US
RSVP here
Sacramento
Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
Time: 4pm – 6pm
Location: O Street at I-5, Crocker Park (across from the Art Museum)
Know of another event happening on May Day? Let us know at [email protected].
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