Some 100,000 California State Workers Plan One-Day Strike on Oct. 21: DMV and EDD Services May See Delays
SEIU Local 1000, California's largest state-employee union, plans a one-day statewide strike on Wednesday, October 21, involving roughly 100,000 state workers. As of October 20, mediation between the union and the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) had produced no agreement, and the union's strike plans remained in place: picket lines are set to open at 7 a.m. on October 21 outside state buildings in Sacramento, Los Angeles, Norwalk, San Bernardino and San Diego, among other cities; in Sacramento, pickets include the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) headquarters at 2415 1st Ave.
It would be the first statewide strike in the union's 44-year history. Members voted 96.2 percent to authorize an unfair-practice strike, accusing the state of bargaining in bad faith. The contract expired on June 30, and the union is seeking raises of 7, 7 and 6 percent over three years, lower health-care costs and expanded telework. The Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) declared an impasse on October 2 and appointed a mediator; talks under mediation began October 15. PERB later declined to seek a court order blocking the strike, after the union agreed in writing to keep about 4,400 designated essential workers on the job. Union president Anica Walls said members are exercising their right to demand respect, fair pay and protection. CalHR spokeswoman Angela Musallam said the state remains open to negotiation and committed to maintaining state operations and critical public services.
On services, the union has said DMV offices and Employment Development Department (EDD) unemployment and disability insurance services may see delays on strike day. As of October 20, neither the DMV nor the EDD had issued a specific closure or delay notice for October 21, and CalHR had not published a detailed contingency plan; actual office hours and wait times on the day will follow each agency's own announcements.
DMV appointments can be changed or cancelled through the department's official website, and many transactions, including vehicle registration and driver's license renewals, can be completed online; some services are also available at DMV kiosks and partner locations. EDD unemployment insurance claims, disability insurance claims and weekly certifications can all be filed through the department's online system.
The strike could still be called off at the last minute: if the union and CalHR reach a tentative agreement later on October 20 or before the morning of October 21, the October 21 strike will be cancelled and the service arrangements above will no longer apply. GSM will follow the talks and report the outcome.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于 Sacramento 的加州州议会大厦（资料图，2025年摄）。Antony-22 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，维基共享资源，自托管
- 2026-10-20Some 100,000 California State Workers Plan One-Day Strike on Oct. 21: DMV and EDD Services May See DelaysThis story
- 2026-10-21Follow-Up: Some 100,000 California State Workers Strike for One Day on October 21; Essential Staff Stay On, DMV and EDD Service May Be Delayed
- 2026-10-22Follow-Up: Thousands Picket in Sacramento in SEIU Local 1000's First-Ever Strike: Union President Says Workers Are Prepared to Escalate
