One of the latest successes for workers occurred between May and June, when they protected their contract, from 2023, that guaranteed a salary raise for 2025 and took action against the RTO (Return to Office) mandate which invalidated their rights. The Service Employees International Union Local 1000 called for grass-root community engagement of workers and exercised California’s Ralph C. Dill Act which aided their win.

SEIU represents nearly 2 million workers, of which 96,000 are state workers of California. On July 1st, 2023 SEIU Local 1000 had negotiated an agreement of a 10% salary increase for California state workers that would be dispersed over 3 years.

Members of SEIU Local 1000 were taken aback, when Governor Newsom set forth his May 2025 budget revision plan for California; a budget plan that would cut state workers’ salary increase in order to save the state budget $766.7 million, and enforce a return to office four days a week mandate. Governor Newsom’s 2025 campaign argues the RTO order will enhance productivity, accountability, and claims “In person work makes us all stronger – period.”

Newsom’s declaration fails to consider the state workers’ experience. California’s state workers argue telework provides job satisfaction by providing flexibility and saving them commute expenses. As inflation takes a toll on living expenses in California, it is a wrongful act of conduct to cancel the arranged salary increase that Medi-Cal, education, public safety, DMV staff and many more essential workers expected this year. 

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SEIU Local 1000 Reminds Workers of California’s Ralph C. Dills Act

Since 1977, the Dill Act reserves the rights for state employees to bargain in a unified manner to conclude proper working terms and conditions in California. SEIU Local 1000 made the Dill Act best effective first through social media publications, planning protests, and collaborations with central labor councils, such as the Sacramento Central Labor Council.

By June 9th, 2025 the senators released the Senate Bill 101 California budget version which rejected Newsoms proposal, showing that state workers’ unwavering needs were being heard. To ensure the collective work necessities, each individual had to call or email their state legislature leaders to express respect for the state worker, their work conditions, and raises.

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Following, a settlement meeting took place on July 19^th between the state of California and SEIU Local 1000, which sought to simply backpedal the Governor’s decisions that ignored the experience of state workers which ultimately disobeyed the Dill Act. However, the state workers and SEIU were met with no sympathy for their requests.  

Workers communicated through this accomplishment that together through advocacy campaigns, lobbying, and insisting on their rights there is a sustainable livelihood possible for workers and their families.