Sacramento, CA - Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's ties to corporate special interests will be blasted in a hard-hitting, innovative internet campaign over the 4th of July holiday weekend which makes use of new, ultra-precise and effective "Google Surge" technology. Creating pressure on the Governor to end a weeks-long budget standoff by backing a sensible budget compromise, the ad campaign was launched today by the California School Employees Association (CSEA schools) and the California State Council of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The internet campaign targets the Governor's reputation in Hollywood, drawing a sharp contrast between his movie-screen heroics and his failed leadership for California.

Home Care Workers Urge Fresno and Contra Costa Counties to Follow Suit

In the wake of a federal judge's ruling to enjoin state cuts to home care pay, Yolo County officials rescinded their request to cut home care wages. Now, SEIU UHW members in other affected counties are urging local officials to stop their planned pay cuts as well.

This past Thursday a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction preventing the state from cutting home care wages. To comply with that ruling, Yolo County informed SEIU UHW that it will maintain home care wages at the current $10.50 an hour.

San Francisco rally linked to statewide events as midnight deadline looms

This morning thousands of SEIU members rallied outside of Gov. Schwarzenegger's six statewide offices as part of our union's push for a common-sense approach to resolving the state's budget crisis.

With just 12 hours left until California begins to default on its obligations to seniors, people with disabilities, students and small businesses, health care workers and community activists gathered at locations across the state to demand that Governor Schwarzenegger stop blocking a compromise budget package that meets his own test of "shared sacrifice." Several events took place simultaneously across the state in Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno and Riverside, building public support for a solution to the budget crisis and calling on the Governor to sign the Legislative compromise plan passed in the Assembly Sunday and the Senate on Monday.

"The ball is now in Gov. Schwarzenegger's court to either live up to his words about shared sacrifice and compromise and sign the budget or bear the weight of California's fiscal meltdown squarely on his shoulders," added Eliseo Medina, SEIU UHW Trustee and SEIU Executive Vice President. "The legislature has done what the governor asked by handing him a true compromise budget that asks everyone to contribute, including giant Oil and Tobacco corporations that can afford to pay a little more in taxes to help solve the budget crisis and protect children, seniors, and families."

Vote to approve new deal with raises and sick leave, seniority improvements.

Workers at the Avalon chain of nursing homes have overwhelmingly approved a new contract, which provides significant wage and benefit improvements. The vote came today at the three facilities where SEIU UHW has workers.

"We have won real improvements in this contract for all Avalon workers," said Patty Mosley, who works at Avalon's Mark Twain facility and serves on the SEIU UHW Bargaining Committee. "This result shows what we have accomplished through our unity."

A champion for universal health care, higher education, and economic opportunity, Garamendi will stand up for working families in Washington, DC

SACRAMENTO, CA - Citing his lifelong support for working families as a California legislator, Insurance Commissioner and Lieutenant Governor, SEIU California State Council today announced its endorsement of John Garamendi to represent California's 10th Congressional District in the United States Congress.