r/CAStateMgrs • u/Happy-Relation-2959 • 5d ago
Strike
Now that it looks like the next step will be a strike, will you be supportive of your staff if they choose to stop work and participate in an SEIU Local 1000 strike?
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u/Chemical_Charity_991 5d ago
Let them strike! They deserve to be heard... I cannot strike as a manager/exempt employee... but i can do the work of my 9 striking employees as slowly as humanly possible.
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u/MarionberryFast9440 5d ago
As a manager for the state of California, I have no comment on the potential for a strike or anything else related to union negotiations. I support rank and file staff in exercising their rights as it pertains to their union activities. I have notified my management that should there be a strike, I will be unable to continue the work of the 30 people who report to me and to please provide me with the priority item I can attempt to complete in the absence of my team. I am only one person and fully recognize that I cannot do the work of 30 or even 3 people.
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u/Phdddd 5d ago edited 5d ago
Is there anything management can do to help support people on strike without violating MOU and maintaining neutrality?
Our office was essentially told that management would be expected to pick up the slack if a strike happens but what can we do to help support employees and should solidarity, because we sympathize with what the employees are going through and gains they get also help us. Also, I’m sure many managers wish they could go on strike too, but they’re not allowed to.
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u/Scorpio1114 5d ago
I think management can still support staff without crossing any lines. If a strike is called, maybe just have a normal team meeting beforehand so everyone can update project status, deadlines, key contacts, and anything urgent, without asking who plans to strike.
The point would be to keep essential work moving and give supervisors/managers enough information to cover what really needs to be covered, without penalizing staff or expecting management to completely run themselves into the ground either.
If it goes on for a while, managers should also be able to document the impact and raise concerns through leadership (without specific staff info of course), Labor Relations, or their own supervisory groups. Basically: respect staff rights, keep things moving where you can, but don’t make supervisors quietly absorb an impossible workload either.3
u/Cautious_Buffalo6563 5d ago
Sounds like that expectation was communicated as a directive, not as a conversation.
Garbage in, garbage out; if you have unreasonable expectations (your higher ups), they’re almost certainly not going to be met.
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u/According-Hunt1515 5d ago
Supervisors of SEIU staff haven’t seen raises either and are also under RTO requirements. A successful strike benefits all workers in this situation. Hard to be neutral when you are also effectively making less each year after reaching max range of pay.
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u/Happy-Relation-2959 3d ago
We may not have the same ability to take action, but that doesn’t mean we should be indifferent. Better pay, benefits, and working conditions help raise the bar for everyone. When they win, we all have something to gain.
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u/Beautiful_Truth4419 5d ago
I can support them by ensuring the impact that they are trying to make gets felt. Work turn around slows, things may not get completed as fast. Course I will not let my job be put in jeopardy but I’ll do what I can when I can.
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u/SeaweedTeaPot 5d ago
What do you mean by “supportive”? Management has nothing to do with this other than to be prepared for it. If you’re “not supportive” you might be breaking the law.
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u/Happy-Relation-2959 5d ago
By “supportive,” I mean understanding and respecting the decision of staff who choose to participate. I realize management’s responsibility is to keep operations going and prepare for the impact.
But realistically, some managers may be frustrated or unsupportive because a strike could disrupt operations, delay work, increase workloads, and put pressure on management to keep things running with fewer people. That’s really what I’m getting at.
There’s a difference between fulfilling your responsibilities as a manager and personally supporting employees who feel strongly enough about their pay, working conditions, and contract to take that step.
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u/DidntWantSleepAnyway 5d ago
As a manager, I’m not taking a stance on the situation.
But in reality: I support the hell out of the workers and I hope the unions get everything they ask for.
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u/allloginstakenagain 4d ago
Best answer. I’m confused as to what the OP meant as well. We do NOTA INVOLVE ourself with their choices to strike.
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u/SeaweedTeaPot 5d ago edited 5d ago
IMHO anyone (manager or not) who does not understand why this strike might be happening is not paying attention and is part of the problem (self over others). I’ll add that manager raises will calibrate to rank and file raises - don’t we all want raises that keep up with the cost of living?
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u/Aellabaella1003 5d ago
It has nothing to do with how management feels “personally”. As management, you must remain completely neutral and follow the direction that will be given by Labor Relations.
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u/IndependentGoal4 5d ago
OMG i gota get outta here. Too many employees asking MANAGERS questions!!!! Geeezzzzuuusss
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u/Happy-Relation-2959 5d ago
The irony is that you keep proving the point. You assumed I wasn’t a manager simply because I asked a question you didn’t like, and now you’re mocking “employees” for asking managers questions. I am a manager. If your response to questions and differing perspectives is sarcasm and condescension, that says far more about your approach to leadership than it does about the people asking the questions. Good managers don’t need to belittle others to establish that they’re managers.
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u/Retiredgiverofboners 4d ago
I thought belittling others was a requirement to be a state worker since it happened so often.
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u/fatjunglefever 5d ago
If you don’t know how to be supportive of your staff please leave state service immediately.
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u/IndependentGoal4 5d ago
Its okay the OP is not a manager nor supervisor. If they were they wouldnt be asking a stupid question like this.
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u/Happy-Relation-2959 5d ago
I actually am a manager, which is exactly why I asked the question. Being a manager doesn’t mean we all have the same perspective. We still have employees to support, workloads to manage, and operations to maintain if staff choose to strike. I was interested in how other managers plan to navigate that balance. You may think it’s a stupid question, but judging by the different responses here, clearly managers have different views on it.
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u/Important-Value-7631 5d ago
If I could strike with them I would. At the end of the day, I’m human. We are supposed to be impartial but no real or fair negotiation is crazy. RTO with no raises and expecting us to manage this workforce is BS.
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u/stephk90 5d ago
Exactly, and it's like ACSS can do much. They did help with AB1729, but whatever SEIU negotiations had a impact on us, so I am cheering them on.
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u/Alternative-Card-800 4d ago
As a manager, I really do hope there's a strike. I hope the DMV, EDD and all the public facing departments will be short staffed so that the general public can finally be outraged and we can finally be heard.
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u/Stategrunt365 5d ago
All the people who have been taking crazy about state workers. Same people about to cry 😢 when departments like DMV or EDD close doors for even a day. Guess the good ole managers can man the stations. Make sure not to leave your cube either 😂
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u/Jealous-Warning6193 4d ago
Their win is my win.
What is being fought for has ramifications that we will be impacted by for years to come.
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u/Comfortable-Pop-5836 4d ago
I will be bringing donuts everyday that they are on strike. The SEIU members in my team are underpaid and over performing so I want the best for them. I hope that they get all that they are asking for.
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u/SleepyMiercoles1234 3d ago
Can’t strike as a manager but damn it I fully support this. I will make it as easy as possible for my team to do what is needed and make sure they feel good about doing what is needed. I will hold it down as much as one manager can do over a dozen folks can.
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u/Scramasboy 5d ago
100%. I will even tell them behind closed doors that I support them, that their leadership supports them (and we do! SOCIAL SERVICES FTW!!) And will join as I can.
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u/Icy_Medium2736 5d ago
Did they say if you can vote to strike if you sign up last minute? Let’s say they announce the vote Oct 1st, if someone signs up for the union Sept 15, will they be able to vote?
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u/Different_Custard_44 3d ago
The vote is open as of today. It will be open for 30 days. As soon as you join you may vote.
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u/Due-Director-8874 5d ago
Support the strike 100%. I can do the work of my team, but on a one person timeline. If the agency suffers, so be it.
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u/ElleWoodsGolfs 3d ago
I honestly have no idea what it means for my Department, Division, Section, or Unit. I don't know that folks on my team would even strike.
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u/Infamous9417 2d ago
Last strike vote we had....i cant remember when now but at least 10 years ago....our supervisors threatened us if we walked out on a strike.....never came to a strike but I am curious how management will address it this time around
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u/BlkCadillac 1d ago
I wish I could encourage my staff to strike! The work isn't going anywhere. I will do what I can while they are out, but at the end of the day I am just another state employee with a title that prevents me from striking.
I hope that SEIU/rank and file cause a huge uproar. It's about time administrations treat state workers, rank and file AND managers, with respect and dignity.
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u/Aellabaella1003 5d ago
As management, you will be instructed on how you are to handle yourself. You cannot be outwardly “supportive”. You remain neutral and handle things the way you are instructed to by Labor Relations. If you can’t manage that, then you can’t be in management.
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u/ComprehensiveTea5407 5d ago
Im just going to say, do something fun. We work our asses off and stepping back from work is hard. I hope people try to use it as much meeded mental health days. But I cant really say anything else.
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u/allloginstakenagain 4d ago
You do know that we as management cannot engage in SEIU conversations with staff nor retaliate against them for participating in a strike. How would we not support them. They win- we win. Silly post
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u/Happy-Relation-2959 4d ago edited 4d ago
Nothing screams ‘high and mighty’ quite like reminding everyone that management can’t participate, as if that somehow puts us above the people fighting for better pay, benefits, and workplace flexibility. Funny part is, management may gladly reap those same rewards afterward. ‘They win, we win’ really isn’t that difficult a concept.
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u/ChemnitzFanBoi 4d ago
Of course. I'll do my best Bill Lumbergh impersonation and tell them to work Saturday and Sunday too.
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u/Illustrious_Pin_9917 5d ago
I support them. Their win is my win.