SEIU Local 1000, also known as the Union of California State Workers, is a labor union comprised of California state government employees. The union represents more than 96,000 employees of the California state government across a wide variety of professions and agencies. The union is the largest local union in California, is among the largest union chapters in the United States, and is affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), one of America’s largest, most controversial, and most politically involved labor unions.

As of October 2023, SEIU Local 1000’s presidency was vacant following the ouster of controversial union president Richard Louis Brown, who had defeated longtime president Yvonne Walker in a 2021 internal election. ^{1 2}

Background

SEIU Local 1000 is the public sector union representing employees of the California state government. The union is affiliated with the national Service Employees International Union (SEIU), a left-of-center labor union that is among the largest political spenders in the United States and is closely tied to national Democratic politicians and the institutional left. In addition to its political activities, SEIU has a reputation for aggressive organizational campaigns and employee representation. SEIU pioneered the modern “corporate campaign” for labor union organizing, under which labor unions and aligned progressive groups use political pressure and personal attacks on brands and employers to secure representation privileges rather than conventional employee secret ballot votes. ³

SEIU Local 1000 is among the largest local unions in the United States and the largest in California. The union is heavily involved in Democratic politics in California and provides significant electoral “muscle” to the state Democratic party. The union represents 96,000 state employees of the California government at more than 2,000 worksites. While virtually all such employees are based in California, the union also represents California state employees based in offices maintained by California outside of the state including in Texas, New York, Chicago, and Hawaii. The union has 51,000 dues-paying members, ten different bargaining units, and 743 different job classifications in its membership. ^{4 5}

Collective Bargaining

Among its highest profile activities is SEIU Local 1000’s regular collective bargaining with the California state government on behalf of state employees, typically in the form of a three-year contract agreement that must be ratified by union members. Contract negotiations are conducted between designated union negotiators and representatives of the administration of the governor of California. The union secured a $1.7 billion contract in 2020. Other interim negotiations are conducted between the union and the state regarding a variety of issues such as telework, employee transfers, and COVID-19 policies. ^{6 7}

In 2023, the union announced an agreement for a new collective bargaining contract with employees that included a 9% raise over three years and special additional raises for under-market categories of employees. While the union announced the agreement as a “historic” victory for union members, a poll conducted by the Sacramento Bee and interviews with several union members found discontent with the agreement. Detractors stated that the agreed-upon raise was far less than the 30% originally demanded by the union. Other critics noted that the union may be too large to effectively negotiate on behalf of such a wide array of professions, citing underpaid specialized or highly trained and skilled employees such as nurse practitioners acting as primary care providers, and IT professionals. ⁸

The union works with the UC Berkeley Labor Center to develop pro-union research to support its arguments for higher pay for state employees, sharing data on the share of full-time state employees that earn enough to support a family, without sharing the threshold for such a classification. ⁹

Political Activity

SEIU Local 1000 is closely aligned with Democratic and left-of-center politics in California, providing significant funding and manpower to democratic campaigns, left-of-center ballot initiatives, and political protests among other activities. The union contributed $1 million to the recall defense campaign of Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) in 2021. According to the Sacramento Bee, the union’s PAC has contributed more than $17 million to political campaigns from 2011 to 2011. ¹⁰

Following a 2022 leadership struggle in which then-union president Richard Louis Brown attempted to limit the union’s political involvement and was eventually ousted, the union published a webpage titled “Why politics matter,” which stated that “To effectively protect your rights, Local 1000 must actively engage in electing candidates who believe in—and stand up for—working families. It is important that we support leaders who are committed to a living wage, retirement security and affordable healthcare benefits at all levels of government from the president and Congress, to California’s governor and Legislature, all the way to school boards, city councils and county commissions.” ¹¹

Leadership Controversy

In 2021, SEIU Local 1000 president Yvonne Walker was ousted by challenger Richard Louis Brown in an election that saw 8 percent participation of union members with Brown winning with 33% of the vote. Brown quickly became a controversial leader, pledging to eliminate political spending, cut union dues in half, and expand voting to non-members. Brown further stated that the union would not assist Governor Newsom’s campaign to survive a recall effort, although the union’s board voted to give Newsom $1 million over Brown’s objections. ^{12 13}

A 2022 investigation determined that Brown “misused his power to defy and subvert the union’s board and executive committee,” illegally occupied the union headquarters with a cadre of supporters, and stole union records after he was suspended from his post. The controversy resulted in a confrontation between Brown and three union vice presidents whom Brown claimed he had suspended for defying him. The office occupation confrontation was mediated by Sacramento police. ^{14 15}

Brown was permanently removed as president in January 2023 and was barred from holding any union posts until 2025. ^{16 17}

1. “SEIU Scandals: Time to limit union politics.” Orange County Register. October 23, 2021. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.ocregister.com/2021/10/23/seiu-scandals-time-to-limit-union-politics/
2. Williams, Dominique and Miller, Maya. “California union ousts president after investigation determined he threatened staff.” Sacramento Bee. January 7, 2023. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article270895742.html
3. Vernuccio, Vincent. “VERNUCCIO: Labor’s new strategy: Intimidation for dummies.” The Washington Times. July 15, 2011. Accessed September 28, 2023. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/15/labors-new-strategy-intimidation-for-dummies/
4. “SEIU Scandals: Time to limit union politics.” Orange County Register. October 23, 2021. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.ocregister.com/2021/10/23/seiu-scandals-time-to-limit-union-politics/
5. “Home.” SEIU Local 1000. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.seiu1000.org/
6. “Bargaining Updates.” SEIU Local 1000. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.seiu1000.org/bargaining-updates
7. “Home.” SEIU Local 1000. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.seiu1000.org/
8. Miller, Maya. “‘Our union isn’t working for us’: California state workers question proposed SEIU 1000 deal.” Sacramento Bee. August 25, 2023. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article278460614.html
9. “Many State Workers Do Not Earn Enough to Cover a Basic Family Budget.” UC Berkeley Labor Center. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Many-state-workers-do-not-earn-enough-to-cover-a-basic-family-budget.pdf
10. “SEIU Scandals: Time to limit union politics.” Orange County Register. October 23, 2021. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.ocregister.com/2021/10/23/seiu-scandals-time-to-limit-union-politics/
11. “SEIU Scandals: Time to limit union politics.” Orange County Register. October 23, 2021. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.ocregister.com/2021/10/23/seiu-scandals-time-to-limit-union-politics/
12. Williams, Dominique and Miller, Maya. “California union ousts president after investigation determined he threatened staff.” Sacramento Bee. January 7, 2023. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article270895742.html
13. Miller, Maya. “Ousted California union president demands removal of 42 SEIU board members in new lawsuit.” Sacramento Bee. December 2, 2022. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article269373252.html
14. Williams, Dominique and Miller, Maya. “California union ousts president after investigation determined he threatened staff.” Sacramento Bee. January 7, 2023. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article270895742.html
15. Miller, Maya. “Ousted California union president demands removal of 42 SEIU board members in new lawsuit.” Sacramento Bee. December 2, 2022. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article269373252.html
16. Williams, Dominique and Miller, Maya. “California union ousts president after investigation determined he threatened staff.” Sacramento Bee. January 7, 2023. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article270895742.html
17. Miller, Maya. “Ousted California union president demands removal of 42 SEIU board members in new lawsuit.” Sacramento Bee. December 2, 2022. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article269373252.html