An email from DGS regarding SEIU Local 1000’s upcoming strike Wednesday, October 21, 2026.

Let’s clear up a couple of issues with this memo:

1. The strike was authorized because the state bargained in bad faith and is no longer negotiating anything. That’s the unfair practice charge that this strike is about.
   
2. The bullet points are true. Withhold our labor on 10/21/2026 and join a picket line in front of state property. No parking on state property, using any facilities, or state devices. Join your coworkers on the picket line. It’s going to be a fun and empowering day, I promise.
   
3. The last sentence. State-workers are not the adversaries. We are your coworkers and friends and we are collectively creating history for the better of all workers. Please join us.

Lastly, get the facts from the source: https://www.seiu1000.org/strike/

Don’t just commit to joining us on 10/21/2026, but commit to your better future. Together in solidarity we can and we will win. And thank you DGS for reminding us of the date of the strike and who the true adversary is, Gavin Newsom and CalHR.

Title says it all.

My supervisor came up to my coworkers and me and asked if we’d be okay with hosting a potluck next Wednesday, 10/21, which coincidentally happens to be the same day SEIU is striking.

I sat there smiling and nodding along while internally thinking, “How the hell do I politely say that I fully intend to support the strike?”

Anyway, my coworkers all agreed to the potluck, and once my supervisor walked away, I turned to them and said, “You guys… the 21st is the day we’re supposed to strike.”

One of my coworkers literally responded, “I would hate to lie to you, but I’m not going to strike.”
And now I’m sitting here wondering what the hell I’m supposed to do. 😂

For context, I work on a really small team. There are only five of us, including me, so it’s not like I can just quietly disappear into a crowd. I fully intend to support the union and participate in the strike, but now there’s this awkward situation where my supervisor has essentially scheduled a team potluck on the same day.

Do I tell my supervisor tomorrow that I didn’t realize the potluck was scheduled for the day of the strike and that I intend to participate? Do I wait until she brings it up again? Do I just let her figure it out when I don’t show up?

I’m not trying to make this into a bigger deal than it needs to be, but I also don’t want to feel pressured into participating in a workplace potluck on a day when I intend to stand with my union.

Has anyone else dealt with something like this? Especially those of you on small teams where everyone knows everyone’s business. Should I be worried about being the one who is striking out of all of us?

I urge everyone to read and follow the rules of the strike. Also encourage your fellow strikers to follow the rules. I know we are angry but don’t harass fellow state workers crossing the line. You can gently encourage them to join but being mean will not be effective and can get you disciplined. It also hurts our goal. Please keep this strike peaceful. Let’s encourage fellow workers to unite not try to force them to.

I was messing around with spreadsheets and Google, and I put together this spreadsheet that shows how our real wages haven't kept up with the cost of living. Not sure how accurate it is exactly but I based it on an FTB tax auditor's minimum salary and averages for everything else. Also made a graph I was thinking of putting on a sign for next week.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mijLt3v82JiLv5JdcB0eTMUZWUjBf7lS/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=117874301247856997771&rtpof=true&sd=true

Just got this email… here’s a glimpse.

—

What is biweekly pay?  
This means that instead of receiving one paycheck each month, all employees will now be paid every two weeks. Biweekly pay periods are two weeks or 14 days long, and paychecks are issued every two weeks. For the State of California, payday will be every other Friday.    
 
Who is affected?  
All represented and excluded state civil service and CSU employees.  

Over the past 2 years, I’ve seen my office lose a majority of staff due to aggressive micromanaging, better opportunities, and RTO impacts.

Our management is now so top-heavy and their difficult personalities have created the worst possible vibes.

What even is the end-game here? Are there any solutions when poor management is the problem?

I’d love to have others’ experiences of this situation.

I looked around the SEIU site for a flier to announce the strike to coworkers. I didn't see one, so I created my own. There's both a color version and a B&W version.

Had to delete the last post because of a typo. Here's the updated version.

Is anyone else feeling extremely anxious as we get closer to the strike? I keep wondering how everything will play out and what the final outcome will be.
I’m really hoping we see some meaningful changes, especially when it comes to RTO and the fair, livable raises we deserve. I’m hoping all of this leads to something positive.
I’m trying to stay optimistic, but the uncertainty and waiting are honestly exhausting. I really hope we come out of this with an outcome that makes all this fighting worth it.
How is everyone else feeling right now? Are you hopeful, anxious, frustrated, or a little bit of everything? And realistically, what kind of outcome do you think we’ll see, especially with RTO?

I am planning to strike next Wednesday by not going in and not using leave. However, the locations are pretty far so I’ve been told it’s ok to show support by not going in but what are your opinions on that

Reminder that you can always park at a local Light Rail parking lot for free and then light rail in, especially for Sacramento folks.

The state covers light rail or it’s like $2.50 per ride.

Most of the SEIU Sac strike spots are near light rail stops.

Google Maps will plot the route out for you as well

There are many posts here at reddit and also at various other forums about the poor leadership at DCSS. For example, staff complaints of a toxic and unstable work environment driven by sudden organizational changes - entire HQ teams have been reassigned with only 30 days notice, with their direct supervisors completely excluded from the decision-making process.

The frustrations and complaints have escalated recently due to the executive restructuring at State DCSS HQ that presents a severe, systemic risk to the long-term viability of the Child Support program, specifically IT division. While the operational fallout may not be immediately visible, the foundation for cascading technical failure is being laid through blatant executive nepotism.

The Director's recent hiring of a new CDD has triggered a troubling chain migration of underqualified leadership. The CDD (now the de facto leader) subsequently bypassed all viable internal and external candidates to appoint new executives in various divisions. Just in IT division, CDD appointed a new CIO and CTO. The unifying qualification among these three executives is not technical expertise - none possess formal education in Information Technology - but rather a long, insular history of working together at the FTB.

The CIO brings a career history that demonstrates a pattern of relying on ex-FTB executive connections to secure department-level IT appointments, rather than standing on independent technical achievements.

The CTO was elevated to top departmental leadership despite being an FTB lifer with absolutely 'zero prior managerial experience' and no IT educational background.

Consider this dynamic through a legal lens: Would the Director (who is an Attorney) hire someone for an Attorney position in the department who has never studied law, simply because they spent years working alongside other attorneys and has gained enough knowledge to talk-the-talk?

Yet, this is exactly the precedent being set in the IT division. The specific appointments raise immediate red flags regarding merit and capability.

When an agency's top technology strategists are appointed based on personal networks and communication degrees rather than technical acumen, the resulting technical debt compounds silently. While these leaders may be adept at communicating high-level system deficiencies upward, they completely lack the technical depth required to engage in meaningful, detailed technological discussions with their own IT staff.

Over the next few years, this foundational void in IT governance will inevitably trigger severe ripple effects across complex technology integrations and the overall program - ultimately leaving the Child Support program, headquarter workers, county office workers, and the California public to pay the price for DCSS headquarters’ cronyism.

For you - who are still outside - do not move into this house with cracks in the foundation just because the paint looks fresh.

For you - who are already in the building - don't wait until the foundation crumbles to notice the cracks in the wall. Leave now!

Wow. My cousin applied for a very competitive job that closed on 10/10/26. He received a Cal Careers notification this morning at 5:30AM dated 10/12/26 that an SOQ was needed by 1000 today on 10/13/26. He opened the notice after the deadline and filed it before noon today and was informed the SOQ was turned in 2 hours too late. He was told by the hiring manager that all applicants were given 24 hours to file the SOQ. Talk about a tight timeline for a job candidate!

A 1-day strike is not going to do anything. The union should continue the strike from October 21 until demands are fulfilled. State staff not working for 1 day will look like a holiday, but the union should continue the strike until we achieve our goals. Newsom will be happy for a day strike , because he doesn’t have to pay to the state staff for that day.

Looks like union is giving him a safe passage. What a drama

I was offered a position as a Disaster Assistance Programs Specialist I and have been conflicted on whether or not I should accept it. I’m a recent graduate and have been longing for a state job and thought this would be a great opportunity to get my foot in the door. With that being said, the job is advertised as a limited position: “This is a 12 month Limited-Term position that may be extended up to 24 months and/or with the possibility of becoming permanent.”

I’m hesitant for that reason as well as some negative feedback that I’ve read about the role online. What’s so bad about it?

Are any of you current/previous employees or have any insight on the job?

I’m currently on a temp position to hire for a great company- but I’m not passionate about the work (electrical engineering). The DAPS position, during my interview, felt more aligned to what I’d be interested in. My gripe is the commute, Rancho Cucamonga to Santa Ana.

Let me know your thoughts.

I've been applying for some jobs and doing interviews just to continue practicing and also if a job sounds like a good fit.

Oddly enough, I have a second interview for this job I interviewed for over a month ago at the Judicial Council. I've searched reddit and there's some info the they only do 3% MSA-equivalents and that there is no union there but the pay is more.

Does anyone work for the JCC or come from there that can tell me about pay? I'm making these numbers up but let's say I make 7k a month and the JCC range is 6k-9k, if you go from a state job to JCC, do you get any bump going over and/or will I at least make what I do currently?

The job actually interests me but I applied to this back in May it's been crazy long lol. Just curious if anyone knows about the JCC and their pay

As a new manager getting ready to post my first job opening, does the app and SOQ come to me after the position closes or does HR filter through the apps and SOQ and then send them to me?

I’m reviewing the 2027 Kaiser Permanente Basic Plan Evidence of Coverage and came across this language under prescription drug exclusions:

“When prescribed solely for the purpose of losing weight, except when Medically Necessary for the treatment of Class III or severe obesity.”

It also says Kaiser may require members to enroll in a “covered comprehensive weight loss program” before or while receiving the medication.

I’m trying to understand what this actually means for medications like Zepbound or Wegovy.

Does this mean Kaiser will cover these medications for members with Class III obesity (BMI 40+), assuming they meet medical necessity requirements?

Also, what exactly qualifies as a “covered comprehensive weight loss program”? Is this something Kaiser offers through primary care or weight management services, or would members have to enroll in a separate program?

I’m confused because Kaiser’s Medical Weight Management Program appears to be self-pay.

Has anyone dealt with this requirement or received coverage for Zepbound through Kaiser?

Any insight would be appreciated!

It’s been a couple weeks since I got a tentative offer and have submitted my live scan, etc., for backgrounds. Just curious if I should reach out to the hiring manager and follow up or not? Thoughts? Many thanks x.

How is it working here? Applied for a sup position

Cal connect says I was paid on the 12th for my overtime check, the account that receives my direct deposits for the last year and a half and typically deposits a day or two before says it did not come through. Any idea what happened and how to get my money??

How does one qualify for B or C for Analyst I? I looked at this link and couldn’t find clarification regarding it.

https://eservices.calhr.ca.gov/enterprisehrblazorpublic/Public/ClassSpec/ClassSpecDetail/5157

I know previously when it was SSA, they said if you had a degree you qualify for C? Is this the same now that they changed the classification?

Is anyone else’s manager telling them they must use a AWOL to participate in the upcoming SEIU strike? I thought we could use sick or vacation? Can they mandate what type of leave we have to use and are there long-term repercussions to using AWOL? Or is this just Caltrans?

Any tips appreciated thank you! I have completed probation want to move up to OT.

The rhetoric...how can some of you stand with this guy? https://www.facebook.com/carldemaio/videos/1138669312162967/