Community News · Porterville, CA
State Workers Strike Possible Oct. 21; Mediation Begins Thursday
SEIU Local members voted 96.2% in favor of a one-day strike by California state workers on October 21, potentially disrupting services at the Porterville Development Center, DMV, and state employment and disability insurance offices throughout Tulare County. The state asked the Public Employees Relations Board for a temporary restraining order to halt the strike over an unresolved dispute about which workers are essential, while PERB declared a formal impasse in negotiations. Mediation between SEIU and the California Department of Human Resources was set to begin Thursday. The union has worked without a contract since July 1 and is seeking a 20% pay raise over three years plus improved telework conditions.