I am a job steward for SEIU 1000, and my team of stewards and I have been collecting myths that we want to set straight. I'm on mobile at the moment, so apologies for the lack of better formatting:
MYTH: I can't strike because I'm not a union member.
REALITY: You still have labor rights. If you're in a bargaining unit represented by SEIU Local 1000, you can strike. You do not have to be a member to withhold your labor.
MYTH: I can't strike because I'm on probation.
REALITY: You still have protected rights on probation. You cannot be punished just because you join a protected strike activity. Punishment for using your protected rights is against the law. If management suddenly treats you differently, document it and contact your union 866-471-7348.
MYTH: I can use the bike lockers at work during the strike.
REALITY: You cannot access State facilities during the strike. Make another plan to store your bike.
MYTH: I can use PTO to attend the strike.
REALITY: You cannot use leave to cover strike time. If you strike, you lose pay for that time. If you had already pre-approved leave, you can keep that leave, unless you are planning on attending the strike.
MYTH: I need to tell my manager I am striking.
REALITY: You do not need permission to strike. You do not have to give your manager advance notice. Your union gives notice to the State.
MYTH: My manager can make me tell them if I plan to strike so they can plan coverage.
REALITY: You do not have to tell your manager whether you plan to strike. Management can plan for staffing, but it cannot pressure you, intimidate you, or use questioning to make you disclose protected strike activity. If your manager starts polling workers, write down what was asked and contact your union at 866.471.SEIU (7348).
MYTH: I can park at State facilities during the strike.
REALITY: You cannot park in State facilities during the strike. Your right to strike does not guarantee access to State parking, and the state will consider your use of those facilities as crossing the picket line. Follow the parking plan for your strike location and plan to use public parking or a paid private garage.
MYTH: This is a strike for telework.
REALITY: This is a ULP strike over the State's failure to bargain in good faith. Telework is one of the issues at the table. The strike is about whether the State has followed the law at the table. In other words, the strike is about how the state is bargaining, not what it is bargaining.
MYTH: I don't hear people talking about the strike, so nobody is going to do it.
REALITY: Quiet does not mean weak. Most people decide to strike after a real conversation with someone they trust. If your workplace feels quiet, that means talking to a few of your desk neighbors can make a difference! Thousands have already committed to the strike in Sacramento!
MYTH: I can't participate because of my RA, disability, field office, or another barrier.
REALITY: You do not have to stand on a picket line all day to strike. The heart of a strike is simple: you withhold your labor. If you need an accessible way to participate, talk to your strike team or your union.
MYTH: The State won't care about a one-day strike.
REALITY: The State will notice how many of you stop working. A one-day strike shows your strength, tests your organization, and proves you are willing to act together.
MYTH: I won't get paid whether I strike or show up.
REALITY: If you work, you get paid for working. If you strike, you lose pay for the strike time. Those are not the same thing.
MYTH: I'll get in trouble if I don't show up on strike day.
REALITY: If you are participating in a protected strike, management cannot lawfully punish you for striking. Your timesheet may show an absence code. That is not the same thing as discipline. If your manager says they will discipline you before, during, or after the ULP strike, write it down and contact your union to report it at 866.471.SEIU (7348),
MYTH: The strike is illegal because our contract has a no-strike clause.
REALITY: A no-strike clause does not automatically make every strike illegal. California law can protect a strike caused by an employer's unfair labor practices. That is why your union is calling this a ULP strike.
MYTH: I can't strike because I'm an "essential worker."
REALITY: "Essential" does not mean what it meant during COVID. Assume you can strike unless your union tells you otherwise. If your position is legally excluded because your absence would create an immediate and serious threat to public health or safety, you will be notified by our union (not your manager).
MYTH: I have to stay on the picket line all day.
REALITY: No. You strike by withholding your labor. Join the line for as long as you safely can. You do not have to prove your commitment by hurting yourself.
MYTH: It will be unsafe for me to be near the picket line.
REALITY: You should never put yourself in danger. Follow your strike captains. Stay with your coworkers. Leave if something becomes unsafe. You can still strike even if you cannot stay on the line.
MYTH: Isn't striking basically total anarchy?
REALITY: No. You are taking organized, collective action. There is a date, a plan, union staff, strike captains, picket locations, and rules. A strike is not chaos. It is a group of workers acting together on purpose, with purpose.
MYTH: If I strike, it will hurt my chances of promotion.
REALITY: Management cannot lawfully deny you a promotion because you joined protected strike activity. If you are threatened, singled out, or treated differently afterward, write it down and report it to your union. This is a protected activity, and it is unlawful to add your participation to your personnel record.
MYTH: I can't strike because I'll lose my benefits.
REALITY: You do not lose your health insurance or retirement because you strike for one day. You lose pay for the time you strike. You do not lose your benefits.
