Downtown Sacramento was flooded with thousands of SEIU Local 1000 members Wednesday in solidarity with nearly 100,000 state workers across California who walked off the job for a one-day strike.
Of the 100,000 workers SEIU Local 1000 represents, about 5,000 are legally excluded from the strike because their absence would threaten the public’s health and safety. These include workers at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of Education, and Caltrans.
The union stationed several picket lines at various state office buildings. The march began at the Secretary of State office on 11th Street and ended at the Department of Human Resources on 16th Street. Workers walked with picket signs in hand demanding a new and “fair” contract.
Noisemakers, megaphones, and cars honking in support blared through the streets. March leaders prompted the crowd with chants of “if we don’t get [a new contract]…” and the crowd responded with roars of “shut it down.”
Odin Abbott, a television specialist with the the Department of Industrial Relations, showed up to the strike wearing a six-and-half-foot Mechagodzilla suit made of EVA foam and vinyl. “Just something fun and an attention getter,” he said.
Abbot said a wage increase and healthcare costs impact him greatly, but what he really hopes to see is changes to the return-to-office policy.
“[RTO] hits me directly in the pocketbook,” he said. “If I were to drive in to work, I’m looking at $400 a month just to come in to work…We proved it could work in the past. Why did it have to go back?”
State worker Odin Abbott dressed as Mechagodzilla during SEIU Local 1000’s one-day strike. Oct. 21, 2026.Chris Felts/CapRadio
The strike is a first for California’s largest public employees union in its 44-year history. The union has accused Gov. Gavin Newsom of negotiating in bad faith by rejecting proposals in bulk and negotiating from a predetermined position, according to SEIU.
“We have made it clear that we will not accept being pushed aside,” said Anica Walls, President of SEIU Local 1000, in a message to members on Oct 8. “Our members are working hard to hold the current administration accountable and demand fair bargaining.”
The strike comes amid negotiations for a 20% wage increase over three years, lower costs for healthcare, and more flexibility to Governor Gavin Newsom’s return-to-office policy which requires workers to come in four days a week. SEIU Local 1000 has been operating without a contract since June.
The California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) attempted to block Wednesday’s strike before it could even happen, according to the Sacramento Bee. CalHR appealed to the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) which administers and enforces collective bargaining laws, arguing the union didn’t fulfill its impasse requirements.
Shelia Byars is a member of the SEIU bargaining negotiating team. She described the process as “disrespectful.”
“[CalHR] can’t just come to the bargaining table in [bad] faith and think the workers are going to stand idly by and say it’s okay,” she said. “We’re not going to take it anymore and at this point Cal-HR should realize there could be more to come.”
Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang, who is running for congress in California’s 7th District, attended the rally to show support for the strike.
“We live in the richest state and the richest country in the world and so many of our working families are struggling to get by,” Vang said. “We’re just asking to be able to live a life with dignity without being priced out.”
In a statement to CapRadio, CalHR said it remains focused on achieving a “fair and responsible agreement” with the union and will continue to be available at the bargaining table.
Both sides are scheduled for mediation talks on Oct. 30.
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