Local
California state employees stage historic one-day walkout, with Bay Area pickets in Oakland and San Francisco
SEIU Local 1000 says about 95,000 state employees are taking part in a statewide, one-day strike after contract talks with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration failed. Bay Area pickets are planned outside state buildings in San Francisco and Oakland.
About 95,000 California state employees are on strike for one day, according to their union, in a statewide walkout that SEIU Local 1000 says is the first in its history.
The strike began Oct. 21, 2026, after negotiations between the union and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration failed. The workers are employed across more than 140 state departments and agencies, including the Department of Motor Vehicles and programs that administer disability and unemployment benefits.
In the Bay Area, picket lines are planned outside the California Public Utilities Commission in San Francisco and the Elihu Harris State Building in Oakland. The walkout is expected to affect services across the region, though no specific service disruptions were detailed.
SEIU Local 1000 is California’s largest public-sector union. The one-day action brings attention to the unresolved labor dispute and the public services that depend on state employees.