California State Union Threatens Big Walkout

The Sacramento Bee

California state government's largest union is threatening to walk off the job in the first state workers' strike in history if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration doesn't come up with what labor leaders termed an "acceptable" contract offer.

Service Employees International Union Local 1000 officials warned of the job action at a noontime rally at the Capitol on Monday, where an estimated 2,000 purple-shirted teachers, nurses, clerical staff, administrative workers and others loudly expressed their willingness to walk out.

Chants of "Strike! Strike! Strike!" engulfed the west steps of the building while speaker after speaker revved up the crowd with calls for a $400 million pay package for the 87,000-strong local - and no cuts in the union's health care and pension packages.

"This state doesn't work if we don't work," SEIU 1000 President Jim Hard told the crowd. "We have the power ... and now we're going to increase our actions and our pressure to get a good contract. The next step is to make sure this governor knows we're serious about calling the first-ever statewide strike of public employees in California history."

Normal workers who are unhappy with their jobs look for another.Government workers get the right, in some states, to blackmail the taxpayers.I guess "we" aren't all in this together.But,then who in the private sector can afford to retire in their 40's or 50's?