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SEIU California State Council on the Budget

January 16, 2009

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SEIU and 30 Other Groups Highlight the “State of the People”…
2009 January Alert ImageSEIU and nearly 30 other community and labor groups came together the day before the State of the State to deliver the “State of the People.” More than 400 SEIU members and others rallied at the Capitol to bring attention to the struggles real people are facing as a result of our economic and fiscal crises. The event featured a college student, a teacher, a home care client, a dad whose son has a developmental disability, and a healthcare worker – all telling the story of how cuts are threatening Californians’ basic quality of life. The event helped frame the issues in advance of the State of the State and appeared on the front page of the Bee, and in television stories across the state. Read the groups’ joint press release and fact sheet. 

…While Governor Schwarzenegger Ignores Budget’s Impact on Californians’ Lives
2009 January Alert ImageState of the State AddressThe next day was a different scene. In his State of the State address, the Governor compared the budget deficit to a “rock upon our chest” and identified it as California’s most pressing challenge. Yet the Governor’s speech was strangely detached from anything real people are experiencing. He did not talk about how the budget and the economy have affected schools, children in need of protection, the lives of seniors and people with disabilities, the struggles of college students, or the state of our healthcare. Instead, he offered more of the same by pointing the finger at legislators and focusing on the process. Californians deserve better leadership.

Governor’s Budget Is the Wrong Prescription in an Economic Crisis

2009 January Alert ImageHerbert HooverOn top of $16 billion in cuts in the last three budget cycles, 2009 January Alert Imageincluding $10 billion in theDepression Family 2008-09 fiscal year, the Governor’s staff presented a New Year’s Eve proposed budget that would devastate healthcare, education, home care, and other vital services with more than $17 billion in additional cuts. In an economic downturn, deeper cuts will have a ripple effect throughout the economy, hamper our ability to recover, and worsen our ailing economy. Nobel prize-winning economist Paul Krugman recently singled out Schwarzenegger as one of “50 Herbert Hoovers” doing the exact wrong thing in an economic downturn. Read Krugman's column and an analysis from the California Budget Project of the Governor’s proposal. 

State Workers Stand Up to Protect Their Rights
2009 January Alert ImageLocal 1000 Value UsThe Governor’s unilateral action to force state workers to take furloughs without negotiating the issue at the bargaining table drew a strong reaction from SEIU 1000 members. On January 15, state workers in 7 cities across California demonstrated against the Governor’s action. SEIU 1000 has indicated that it is open to negotiations, but that it cannot accept the unilateral decree from the Governor.

“It is illegal and we’ve filed challenges in superior court and at Public Employment Relations Board (PERB),” said Local 1000 President Yvonne Walker. “Our case will be heard on January 29 because the unpaid furloughs are unconstitutional and cannot be imposed unilaterally.”