Hundreds of California scientists strike over stalled contract talks

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Hundreds of scientists who work for California started a rolling three-day strike Wednesday — the primary walkout by a state civil service union.

Members of the California Affiliation of Skilled Scientists marched below cloudy skies in Sacramento to protest lack of progress in contract talks. The walkout will unfold to Los Angeles, Oakland and different cities on Thursday and Friday.

The union represents about 5,200 members who work in additional than 50 state departments and take care of points starting from air air pollution and poisonous waste management to earthquake hazards and agricultural pests, in accordance with its web site.

Members have been with no contract since 2020 regardless of bargaining and mediation. The membership rejected a tentative settlement earlier this 12 months. One other state mediation session is deliberate for Nov. 28.

It’s the first time that state staff have struck since civil servants received collective bargaining rights in 1977, The Sacramento Bee reported.

“No one needs to be on strike, and no one needs to be the primary,” the union’s president, Jacqueline Tkac, advised the Bee. “Nevertheless it feels actually inspiring to know that we’ve got folks which can be so fired up about our scenario that they’re keen to exit on strike for the primary time and take that threat.”

Final week, the California Division of Human Assets filed a criticism of unfair labor practices in opposition to the union in an try to forestall the strike.

On Wednesday, the division stated it was disenchanted by the strike and that the state continues to discount “in good religion.”

The state “will proceed to work with CAPS to attain a good successor settlement as we’ve got with different bargaining items,” division spokesperson Camille Travis stated in an e mail.

The union’s primary concern is greater wages. It says state scientists are paid 40% to 60% lower than “comparable positions who’ve the identical degree of accountability and do comparable or similar work.”