UPDATE: The strike votes took place and would impact three clinics in Contra Costa County: Fresenius West Antioch, DaVita Concord and Fresenius Brentwood.

Margin of 97% in favor as Fresenius, DaVita, U.S. Renal and Satellite violate workers’ rights instead of improving working conditions and care for patients receiving life-saving treatments 

Strike votes come as more Fresenius clinic workers join SEIU-UHW amid growing momentum for industry-wide change

By Renée Saldaña, Press Secretary, SEUI – United Healthcare Workers West

OAKLAND, Calif. — Dialysis workers across California are preparing for unprecedented strikes aimed at addressing unfair labor practices over companies’ illegal union-busting tactics.  Workers are also concerned with unsafe working conditions. The same day the strike vote results were announced, frontline workers at Fresenius Kidney Care West March in Stockton voted to unite with SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), marking another victory in the ongoing historic wave of unionization at dialysis clinics across the state.

The strikes, which could involve approximately 900 frontline healthcare workers at more than 38 clinics statewide, represent a critical turning point in the fight to hold dialysis corporations accountable for prioritizing profits at the expense of patient care. 

Dialysis caregivers are calling for executives at DaVita, Fresenius, Satellite Healthcare, and U.S. Renal Care to bargain with them in good faith over solutions to chronic staffing shortages, patient care concerns, and their demands for fair wages and to stop employing union-busting tactics in response to workers exercising their right to form their unions. They say this action is necessary to stop unfair labor practices and secure safer conditions for both workers and patients. The workers also want their employers to stop retaliating against caregivers who advocate for their rights and better patient care. 

“After years of unsafe staffing, substandard working conditions, and anti-union behavior by management, dialysis workers have had enough,” said Easen PeBenito, a certified clinical hemodialysis technician at Satellite Healthcare Blossom Valley in San Jose. “We’re taking this stand not just for ourselves, but for the patients whose lives depend on safe and compassionate care. Dialysis executives have ignored our concerns and violated our rights for far too long, and our strike is a last resort to stop Satellite’s illegal behavior and demand better for everyone.”

For years, healthcare workers at DaVita, Fresenius, Satellite Healthcare, and U.S. Renal Care have raised alarms about understaffing, high turnover rates, low-wages, and unsafe working conditions at dialysis clinics, where patients with critical kidney failure receive life-sustaining dialysis treatments multiple times a week. Caregivers at dialysis clinics across California, from Sacramento to San Diego, have been organizing to improve patient care, working conditions, and job standards.

The historic unionization wave amongst dialysis workers gained even more momentum the same day the strike vote was announced, as workers at Fresenius West March in Stockton voted to join SEIU-UHW despite management’s anti-union campaign which included captive audience meetings, and one-on-one meetings conducted by company executives and a union busting consultant.

“We voted to unionize so we can take better care of our patients and our families,” said Arnold Ballesteros, a patient care technician at Fresenius West March in Stockton. “We’re so short-staffed that we’re constantly rushing to give our patients the attention they deserve. Many of us are working multiple jobs just to get by because our wages haven’t kept up with the cost of living, and we’re paid far less than other healthcare workers. This is why despite management’s anti-union campaign and unfair labor practices we voted overwhelmingly to join SEIU-UHW. By joining the union, we’re gaining the power to fight for safer staffing, better pay, and the ability to provide the best care possible for our patients.  Our strike is a message to our employer to stop committing unfair labor practices.” 

As dialysis workers prepare to strike, the industry faces growing scrutiny from lawmakers and patient advocates, who are calling for reforms to improve transparency, safety, and accountability at dialysis clinics.

UPDATE: The strike votes took place and would impact three clinics in Contra Costa County: Fresenius West Antioch, DaVita Concord and Fresenius Brentwood.

SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) is a healthcare justice union of more than 100,000 healthcare workers, patients, and healthcare activists united to ensure affordable, accessible, high-quality care for all Californians, provided by valued and respected healthcare workers. Learn more at www.seiu-uhw.org.

Instead of passing bill she carried – See UPDATE with details of “Deal Framework”

CA journalists “oppose this disastrous deal”

“The future of journalism should not be decided in backroom deals…Not a single organization representing journalists and news workers agreed to this undemocratic and secretive deal with one of the businesses destroying our industry.” – Media Guild of the West

Senator Glazer who has his own bill on the matter opposes deal says it, “seriously undercuts our work toward a long term solution to rescue independent journalism” and doesn’t include Meta (Facebook, Instagram) and Amazon

By Allen D. Payton

SACRAMENTO – On Wednesday, August 21, 2024, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-AD15, Oakland) announced the establishment of a first-in-the-nation partnership with the State, news publishers, major tech companies and philanthropy, unveiling a pair of multi-year initiatives to provide ongoing financial support to newsrooms across California and launch a National AI Accelerator.

Together, these new partnerships will provide nearly $250 million in public and private funding over the next five years, with the majority of funding going to newsrooms. The goal is to front-load $100 million in the first year to kick-start the efforts. The total investment could increase over the next several years if additional funding from private or state sources becomes available.

“This agreement represents a major breakthrough in ensuring the survival of newsrooms and bolstering local journalism across California — leveraging substantial tech industry resources without imposing new taxes on Californians,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “The deal not only provides funding to support hundreds of new journalists but helps rebuild a robust and dynamic California press corps for years to come, reinforcing the vital role of journalism in our democracy.”

Assemblymember Wicks, who represents portions of Western Contra Costa County, authored AB 886 to help ensure the sustainability of local journalism, as news outlets across the country are downsizing and closing at alarming rates. A Northwestern University study published last year found an average of two and a half newspapers in the United States close every week, and that our nation has lost two-thirds of its newspaper journalists since 2005. California has lost more than 100 newspapers in the last decade alone.

The new suite of initiatives includes multi-faceted support for publishers across California to address challenges that have impacted the depth and breadth of news coverage in the state. They will help ensure the sustainability of existing and new online publications – with an emphasis on small, local outlets and community-facing journalism.

“As technology and innovation advance, it is critical that California continues to champion the vital role of journalism in our democracy,” saidWicks. “This partnership represents a cross-sector commitment to supporting a free and vibrant press, empowering local news outlets up and down the state to continue in their essential work. This is just the beginning. I remain committed to finding even more ways to support journalism in our state for years to come.”

California news publishers will be the beneficiaries of a News Transformation Fund, to be administered by the UC Berkeley School of Journalism, providing financial resources that preserve and expand California-based journalism. The funding will include contributions from technology platforms and the State of California, supporting innovative new investments that promote local journalism. The funding will support California-based state and local news organizations, particularly those serving California local news deserts, underserved and underrepresented communities, and outlets that prioritize California coverage.

“The University of California is proud to partner with Governor Newsom and legislative leaders to bolster the critical work of local news organizations and journalists in California,” said UC President Michael V. Drake, M.D. “Californians depend on robust local and diverse news organizations to stay informed about their communities, and the University and specifically the UC Berkeley School of Journalism stand ready to support this endeavor.”

Funding for the initiative would be complemented by direct support from the State, helping news organizations keep and grow newsroom staff and offsetting the costs of producing local news and information.

“A vibrant press is crucial for strong communities and a healthy democracy. This is a first step toward what we hope will become a comprehensive program to sustain local news in the long term, and we will push to see it grow in future years,” saidCalifornia News Publishers Association CEO Chuck Champion and Board Chair Julie Makinen. “We will work with the state and tech companies to make the most of this initiative. We’re grateful to Assemblymember Wicks for her passionate advocacy on behalf of our 700-plus member newsrooms.”

Partners in this initiative also reiterated their strong commitment to strengthening newsroom and ownership diversity for ethnic and underserved communities. The Governor also announced his support for AB 1511 (Santiago), which aims to increase the state’s ongoing commitment to place official marketing, advertising and/or outreach advertising with local and underrepresented media outlets.

“Ethnic and community media outlets in California have a long history of serving as trusted messengers of culturally responsive news to historically underrepresented and underserved communities,” said Assemblymember Miguel Santiago. “These initiatives ensure that California is embracing private sector innovation while developing partnerships with and seeding investments from the public sector to empower local publishers and journalists that are vital to a healthy, thriving democracy.”

Additionally, researchers and businesses will have access to new resources to explore the use of AI to tackle some of the most complex challenges facing society, and strengthen the workforce through a new National AI Innovation Accelerator. This will be administered in collaboration with a private nonprofit, and will provide organizations across industries and communities — from journalism, to the environment, to racial equity and beyond — with financial resources and other support to experiment with AI to assist them in their work. The AI accelerator will empower organizations with the new technology, and complement the work of the Journalism Fund by creating new tools to help journalists access and analyze public information.

“We appreciate the thoughtful leadership of Governor Newsom, Assemblymember Wicks, Chair Umberg, and Senator Glazer on these issues,” said Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs and Chief Legal Officer for Alphabet (Google’s parent company). “California lawmakers have worked with the tech and news sectors to develop a collaborative framework to accelerate AI innovation and support local and national businesses and non-profit organizations. This public-private partnership builds on our long history of working with journalism and the local news ecosystem in our home state, while developing a national center of excellence on AI policy.”

“A strong press is a key pillar of democracy, and we’re proud to be part of this partnership to utilize AI in support of local journalism across California,” said Jason Kwon, Chief Strategy Officer for OpenAI. “This initiative builds on our longstanding work to help newsrooms and journalists around the world leverage AI to improve workflows, better connect users to quality content, and help news organizations shape the future of this emerging technology.”

Work will begin immediately to stand up both initiatives, which will go live in 2025. Included below is a range of quotes from additional supporters.

What others are saying:

“The work of local independent publishers is essential to a well-functioning democracy, and this new public-private partnership provides immediate and needed relief. Lawmakers should be proud of this program, which builds on California’s innovative Local News Fellowship with millions of new dollars in a way that prioritizes small publishers and those serving underrepresented groups.” – Chris Krewson, Executive Director of Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers, a national nonprofit with 76 of its 600 publisher members in California

“The new public-private partnership provides a pioneering, ambitious program that will offer significant help to local newsrooms that give Californians the information they need to participate in a healthy democracy. It’s encouraging that lawmakers and tech platforms found a way to work together to forge an innovative solution that can be a model for other states.” – Lance Knobel, CEO of Cityside Journalism Initiative, the nonprofit behind Richmondside, Oaklandside and Berkeleyside

“California is leading the way with this first-in-the-nation investment to protect the press and sustain quality journalism. This fund will help news outlets and journalists adapt to a changing landscape with new tools and funding to embrace emerging technologies. This is especially helpful for ethnic and community media which is comprised largely of under-resourced family businesses whose strongest connections are to their community.” – Regina Wilson, Executive Director, California Black Media

“California is home to the largest concentration of multilingual news outlets serving immigrant and ethnic communities in the US. This breakthrough public private partnership to support local journalism brings welcome recognition of the ethnic media sector’s indispensable role in connecting these diverse communities to each other and to the wider public realm.” – Sandy Close, Director of Ethnic Media Services (EMS), a California-based nonprofit which works with 2000 ethnic news outlets nationwide, including over 300 in California

“It represents an equity-media model for the nation,” added Julian Do, EMS Co-Director

“Protecting and rebuilding California’s robust media ecosystem and ensuring it serves immigrants, Latinos and communities of color equally requires an important role for philanthropy, our tech and private sector, and yes, California’s State Government. We see this historic agreement as just the first major step where the State of California can lead the way in building a sustainable media ecosystem for the most diverse state in the Union.” – Arturo Carmona, President of the Latino Media Collaborative 

“This is a win for all Californians. Disinformation flourishes when quality journalism disappears. This critical funding will help local publishers survive and keep their communities informed and engaged.” – Neil Chase, CEO of CalMatters and former editor of The Mercury News and East Bay Times

“The revival of a strong, independent community-minded local press is vital for California. All things considered, this agreement both injects new money into doing that and helps spur the innovation, tech and otherwise, required at this moment. As a companion to the California Local News Fellowship, it’s another brick in the rebuilding of California journalism.” – Ken Doctor, Newsonomics news analyst and Lookout Local founder and CEO

“Supporting local news and journalism is vital to enabling a fully informed and engaged community. We are very pleased to see California as a leader in building this public-private partnership that will substantially impact local journalism and essential news coverage in communities throughout California. This vital funding will support our local news and will enable an expansion of our initiative to add to the depth of our bilingual coverage and journalists in Napa Valley – where 40% of the population is Latino.” – Marc Hand, CEO and Board Chair of Highway 29 Media, a publisher of newspapers serving communities in Napa Valley

California Journalists’ Guild Opposes Deal, Calls it a “Shakedown”

In addition, the Media Guild of the West, which represents journalists and had supported Wicks’ bill, issued a statement on Wednesday opposing the deal entitled, “California’s journalists do not consent to this shakedown.”

The guild’s representatives and signatories to the statement (see below) wrote, “This afternoon, Google, California Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, California Governor Gavin Newsom and many of California’s publishing lobbies announced ‘a first-in-the-nation partnership with the State, news publishers, major tech companies and philanthropy, unveiling a pair of multi-year initiatives to provide ongoing financial support to newsrooms across California and launch a National AI Accelerator.’

After two years of advocacy for strong antimonopoly action to start turning around the decline of local newsrooms, we are left almost without words. The publishers who claim to represent our industry are celebrating an opaque deal involving taxpayer funds, a vague AI accelerator project that could very well destroy journalism jobs, and minimal financial commitments from Google to return the wealth this monopoly has stolen from our newsrooms.

Not a single organization representing journalists and news workers agreed to this undemocratic and secretive deal with one of the businesses destroying our industry. Moments ago, the following opposition letter was filed with the California legislature:

We represent journalists and news workers who provide essential news for millions of Californians in print, digital, broadcast, commercial and nonprofit newsrooms.

The future of journalism should not be decided in backroom deals. The Legislature embarked on an effort to regulate monopolies and failed terribly. Now we question whether the state has done more harm than good.

California’s journalists and news workers OPPOSE this disastrous deal with Google and condemn the news executives who consented to it in our names.

Signed,

Matt Pearce, President, Media Guild of the West, The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39213
Jon Schleuss, President, The NewsGuild-CWA
Annie Sciacca, President, Pacific Media Workers Guild, The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39521
Carrie Biggs-Adams, President, NABET-CWA Local 51
Javad Ayala, President, NABET-CWA Local 53
Kevin Gallo, Regional Vice President 5, NABET-CWA
Frank Arce, Vice President, Communications Workers of America District 9

Glazer Also Opposes Agreement, Calls it “Inadequate”

State Senator Steve Glazer (D-SD7, Orinda), who represents most of Contra Costa County and has his own bill on the matter, SB911, also does not support the deal and on Wednesday issued the following “Statement on Wicks-Google Agreement”: 

“Despite the good intentions of the parties involved, this proposal does not provide sufficient resources to bring independent news gathering in California out of its death spiral.

Google’s offer is completely inadequate and massively short of matching their settlement agreement in Canada, in supporting on-the-ground local news reporting.

Democracies live and die based on the free exchange of information and oversight between government and its people. Autocracies and dictatorships thrive when that information is constrained or manipulated.

The hollowing out of independent news gathering and the monopoly power of these digital platforms is an existential threat to our democratic republic.

This agreement, unfortunately, seriously undercuts our work toward a long term solution to rescue independent journalism

There is a stark absence in this announcement of any support for journalism from Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) and Amazon. These platforms have captured the intimate data from Californians without paying for it. Their use of that data in advertising is the harm to news outlets that this agreement should mitigate.” 

Questions for Wicks About the Agreement and Initiatives Go Unanswered

Questions were emailed Wednesday night to Wicks’ Director of Communications, Erin Ivie, asking, “Do you email out press releases to media that cover her district? Was there a press conference held announcing the agreement?”

Other local media publishers in Contra Costa County didn’t receive the press release about the agreement nor an invitation to any press conference at which it was announced, either.

She was also asked the following:

“Why didn’t she reach out to the local media that cover her district for our input like Congressman Mark DeSaulnier did for his legislation?

Which news publishers, major tech companies and philanthropy are party to the agreement?

Can you ease provide copies of the two initiatives mentioned in the press release or the link to where they can be found?

What are the definitions of ‘newsroom’, ‘local journalist’ and ‘local news outlets’ mentioned in the press release, including in a quote by the Assemblywoman?

Which newsrooms will qualify for the funds? Who will determine which newsrooms will receive the funds and how much they will receive?

Will the funds be provided directly from the tech companies and philanthropy to the newsrooms, or will they be funneled through a state government agency? Will there be an application process and to whom will the applications be submitted?

Who will be working on both initiatives? How does a local news publisher get involved in the process?”

Finally, Ivie was asked, “Won’t the allocation of taxpayer funds included in the agreement still require legislation to be passed? If so, what will be the process? Will the Assemblywoman continue to pursue passage of AB866? If so, will it be amended to include the elements of the agreement?

UPDATE: Wicks’ Staff Provides Details of Deal

In response, Ivie provided the “Deal Framework, Measures to support democracy, journalism and AI innovation” (see below). In addition, she provided answers to the Herald’s questions:

“Eligible for the funding are nonprofit and for-profit news organizations who have been around for at least two years. The funding is awarded by headcount, overseen by a diverse board (outlined further down). 

The one exception is commercial broadcasters, who were carved out of the agreement because they continue to generate healthy profits from advertising dollars. 

The funds will be distributed by the UC Berkeley School of Journalism, by an approved claims administrator who typically handles complex distributions of class action settlements. Details of the application process are forthcoming, but in the meantime, anyone interested can contact our office to get on a list to receive those details.

The state is currently committed to providing a minimum of $70M over 5 years, and that commitment is limited to the journalism fund only. Google has committed to $110M minimum over the same time frame, plus $62.5M for their AI accelerator. 

That means that taxpayer funds could be used to support the journalism fund, but not the work of the AI accelerator. It will not require legislation to be passed, but it will require a budget allocation (in January), which the Governor has already committed to. 

Our office, Google, the UC Berkeley School of Journalism, plus a seven-member governing board. That board will consist of two CNPA members, one member from Ethnic Media Services, one from Local Independent Online News (LION), one from Latino Media Collaborative, one from California Black Media, and one from Media Guild of the West. 

Any local news publisher who wants to get involved can email our office and be brought into the fold. If you’re interested, please email our Legislative Director Zak Castillo-Krings at zak.castillo-krings@asm.ca.gov. 

The agreement was made in lieu of AB 886, and the bill will no longer move forward.”

Deal Framework

Measures to support democracy, journalism and AI innovation

1. Summary: Creation of first-in-the-nation partnerships that will provide nearly $250 million in public and private funding over the next five years, with the majority of going to support newsrooms. The goal is to front-load $100 million in the first year to kickstart the efforts. Total investment could increase over the next several years if additional funding from private or state sources becomes available.

2. State Contribution: 30mm in year one. 10mm in each of the next four years (years 2-5). All money will be contributed to a new fund established at UC Berkeley School for Journalism.

3. Google Commitment to Journalism, up to 30mm a year, as follows:

a. Year one:

$15mm to the Journalism Fund

$5mm to AI fund accelerator

$10mm in funding for existing journalism programs

b. Years 2-5: Google continues its contribution to Journalism Fund at 10mm minimum. Google maintains 10mm in funding for existing journalism programs

4. National AI Accelerator

a. Managed by as-yet-to-be finalized non-profit organization, under terms to be

defined by funders

b. Google commitment of additional 10mm to Accelerator

c. Google commitment of additional 2.5mm to fund AI research

d. Additional contributions from other tech companies

5. UC School of Journalism non-profit public charity

a. Administration costs are not to exceed a customary overhead

b. Purpose is to bolster UC’s efforts to support and catalyze local news

throughout the state

c. Overseen by a 7-member governing board:

i. CNPA member

ii. CNPA member

iii. Ethnic Media Services

iv. Local Independent Online News

v. Latino Media Collaborative

vi. California Black Media

vii. Media Guild of the West

d. Funds allocated by board to be distributed by claims administrator

e. 12% of funding reserved for locally focused publications and publications targeting underrepresented groups

f. The function of the board will be to validate the distribution formula based on the number of journalists per publication. Funds to be distributed to eligible organizations by dividing the number of eligible journalism positions or

freelancers of each organization by the total number of overall eligible positions multiplied by the total eligible amount in the fund consistent with the current language of AB886. The board will have no other discretion relative o the distribution of funds.

g. The definition of a journalist does not include broadcasters

6. Additional State Support:

a. California will work with its departments on plans to prioritize state government advertising in local publications and publications in underserved markets, with the goal of redirecting millions in advertising dollars.

Erin Ivie, Director of Communications, Office of Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and Steven Harmon, Communications Director for the Office of State Senator Steve Glazer contributed to this report.

Senator Glazer’s request leads to findings of workers cheated out of $63.9 million in past wages

Calls it a failure to act on behalf of workers

Report claims inadequate staffing, poor oversight have weakened protections for workers

SACRAMENTO – California Labor Commissioners have stood idly by as a massive backlog in wage theft cases piled up worth $63.9 million in lost wages to workers as its enforcement unit failed to enforce and collect wages in 76 percent of cases in which employers were found to owe wages, according to a report released Wednesday by Grant Parks, the California State Auditor.

The scathing audit came as a result of a March 2023 request through the Joint Legislative Audit Committee by Senator Steve Glazer, D-Contra Costa, and Assemblyman David Alvarez, D-San Diego. It was based on news reports about the lack of wage theft enforcement.

Parks reported his findings to the Governor, President pro Tempore of the Senate and Speaker of the Assembly about the “Department of Industrial Relations’ Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, also known as the Labor Commissioner’s Office (LCO).” Lilia García-Brower is the current state Labor Commissioner and was appointed to the position by Governor Newsom in July 2019. Neither her name or photo appears on the website for the Labor Commissioner’s Office. Ironically, according to the agency’s website, “The mission of the LCO is to ensure a just day’s pay in every workplace in the State and to promote economic justice through robust enforcement of labor laws. By combating wage theft, protecting workers from retaliation, and educating the public, we put earned wages into workers’ pockets and help level the playing field for law-abiding employers.”

The audit “reviewed the backlog of wage claims submitted by workers from fiscal years 2017–18 through 2022–23, and determined that the LCO is not providing timely adjudication of wage claims for workers primarily because of insufficient staffing to process those claims.”

Furthermore, the state Auditor reported, “In addition to its delays in processing wage claims, the LCO has not been successful in collecting judgments from employers. A possible factor contributing to its low collection rate is that the Enforcement Unit does not consistently use all of the methods available to it for collecting payments owed to workers.”

Senator Glazer released this statement on the audit’s findings:

“The California State Auditor’s report makes clear that our State Labor Commissioner is a toothless enforcer of our wage theft laws. This deeply troubling assessment exposes a system that has fundamentally failed the workers it is supposed to protect. According to the auditor, there is a backlog of 47,000 claims registered on June 30, 2023. This is a state embarrassment and a stain on the department that workers depend on for justice.

The report also highlights an alarming increase in the average number of days to resolve claims, which has skyrocketed from 420 days in 2017/18 to an astounding 890 days in 2022/23. This drastic decline in efficiency is not just a statistic; it represents thousands of workers enduring prolonged injustice and financial hardship.

This lack of enforcement emboldens companies to exploit workers, knowing they can likely escape any real consequences, thus perpetuating and increasing further abuse. These findings paint a grim picture of an agency overwhelmed and ineffective, leaving workers vulnerable and without recourse. Immediate and decisive action to restore integrity and effectiveness to the Labor Commissioner’s office is needed. The workers of California deserve nothing less than a robust system that ensures timely and fair resolution of wage theft claims.”

The report can be found here: www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/the-california-labor-commissioners-office/

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Part of nationwide push to bring back phonics, sponsors seek compromise, CTA refuses to negotiate

By DIANA LAMBERT, JOHN FENSTERWALD, ZAIDEE STAVELY, EDSOURCE.org

California’s largest teachers’ union has moved to put the brakes on legislation that mandates instruction, known as the “science of reading,” that spotlights phonics to teach children to read.

The move by the politically powerful California Teachers Association (CTA) puts the fate of Assembly Bill 2222 in question as supporters insist that there is room to negotiate changes that will bring opponents together.

CTA’s complaints include some recently voiced by some advocacy organizations for English learners and bilingual education that oppose the bill and have refused to negotiate any changes to make the bill more acceptable.

The teachers union put its opposition to AB 2222 in writing in a lengthy letter to Assembly Education Committee Chairman Al Muratsuchi last week. The committee is expected to hear the bill, introduced in February, later this month. 

The letter includes a checklist of complaints including that the proposed legislation would duplicate and potentially undermine current literacy initiatives, would not meet the needs of English learner students and cuts teachers out of the decision-making process, especially when it comes to curriculum. 

“Educators are best equipped to make school and classroom decisions to ensure student success,” the letter said. “Limiting instructional approaches undermines teachers’ professional autonomy and may impede their effectiveness in the classroom.”

Marshall Tuck, CEO of EdVoice, an advocacy nonprofit co-sponsoring the bill, said he was surprised that CTA would oppose legislation that would ensure all teachers are trained to use the latest brain research to teach children how to read.

“Unfortunately, a lot of folks in the field haven’t actually been trained on that, and a lot of the instruction materials in classrooms today don’t align with that,” Tuck said.

Tuck said CTA appears to misunderstand the body of evidence-based research known as the science of reading. It “is not a curriculum and is not a program or a one-size-fits-all approach,” he said. “It will give teachers a foundational understanding of how children learn to read. Teachers will still have a lot of room locally to decide which instructional moves to make on any given day for any given children. So, you’ll still have significant differentiation.”

A nationwide push

California’s push to adopt the science of reading approach to early literacy is in sync with 37 states and some cities, such as New York City, that have passed similar legislation. 

States nationwide are rejecting balanced literacy as failing to effectively teach children how to read, since it trains children to use pictures to recognize words on sight, also known as three-cueing. The new method would teach children to decode words by sounding them out, a process known as phonics.

Although phonics, the ability to connect letters to sounds, has drawn the most attention, the science of reading focuses on four other pillars of literacy instruction: phonemic awareness, identifying distinct units of sounds; vocabulary; comprehension; and fluency. It is based on research on how the brain connects letters with sounds when learning to read.

Along with mandating the science of reading approach to instruction, AB 2222 would require that all TK to fifth-grade teachers, literacy coaches and specialists take a 30-hour-minimum course in reading instruction by 2028. School districts and charter schools would purchase textbooks from an approved list endorsed by the State Board of Education.  

The legislation goes against the state policy of local control that gives school districts authority to select curriculum and teaching methods as long as they meet state academic standards. Currently, the state encourages, but does not mandate, districts to incorporate instruction in the science of reading in the early grades.

“It’s a big bill,” said Yolie Flores, president of Families in Schools, a co-sponsor. “We’re very proud that it’s a big bill because that means it is truly consequential in the best way possible for children. It’s not a sort of tweak around the edges kind though, it’s the kind of bill that really brings transformation. So we are hoping that the Legislature sees beyond the sort of typical pushback and resistance, and in the end, I think, teachers will see that this was a huge benefit for them.”

Seeking compromise

The bill’s author, Blanca Rubio, D-Baldwin Park, said she took CTA’s seven-page letter not as an outright rejection but as an opportunity for negotiations.

 “I’m glad they sent this letter,” she said. “They outline their objections and the reasons why, and that’s something I can work with. It’s not a flat, ‘No, we don’t want you to do it.’ They gave me specific items that I can look at and have a conversation about.”

She said that Assemblymember Muratsuchi asked her to work with the CTA on a compromise. She is also meeting with consultants for Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Salinas, “to look at the big picture,” she said.

But Flores says the state’s budget problems, with predictions of no money for new programs, may be a bigger hurdle to getting the bill passed than the CTA opposition. The cost of paying for the required professional development for teachers would total $200 million to $300 million, she said. Because it is a mandate, the state would be required to repay districts for the cost.

“That is a drop in the bucket for something so transformational, so consequential,” Flores said. “I hope that the Legislature really comes to that realization. We’re in a budget deficit, but our budget is a statement of priorities.”

Advocates say that it is imperative that California mandate instruction in the science of reading. In 2023, just 43% of California third graders met the academic standards on the state’s standardized test in 2023. Only 27.2% of Black students, 32% of Latino students and 35% of low-income children were reading at grade level, compared with 57.5% of white, 69% of Asian and 66% of non-low-income students. 

“It’s foundational,” Flores said. “It’s not the only thing teachers need to know. It’s not the only thing that teachers will need to do and to adhere to, but it’s sort of the basic foundational knowledge of how children’s brains work in order to learn to read.”

The bill would sunset in 2028 when all teachers are required to have completed training. Beginning in July, all teacher preparation programs would be required to teach future educators to base literacy instruction on the science of reading. 

Needs of English learners

The CTA and other critics of AB 2222 charge that it ignores the need of English learners for oral language skills, vocabulary and comparison between their home languages and English, which they need in order to learn how to read. Four out of 10 students in California start school as English learners.

Tuck disputes this. “We actually emphasize oral language development,” he said. “This would be the first statute that would say when instructional materials are adopted, and when teachers are trained in the science of reading, they must include a focus on English learners and oral language development.”

Representatives from Californians Together, an advocacy organization for English learners and bilingual education, applauded the CTA’s opposition to the bill. They oppose the bill, rather than suggest amendments, because they disagree with its overall approach.

“We just don’t think this is the right bill to address literacy needs,” said Executive Director Martha Hernandez. “It’s very restrictive. We know that mandates don’t work. It lacks a robust, comprehensive approach for multilingual learners.”

Instead, Californians Together and the California Association for Bilingual Education have both said they would prefer California fund the training of teachers and full implementation of the English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework. 

The framework was adopted in 2014 and encourages, but does not mandate, explicit instruction in foundational skills and oral language development for English learners.

The California Language Teachers Association has requested the bill be amended to include information about teaching literacy in languages not based on the English alphabet, such as Japanese, Chinese or Arabic, according to Executive Director Liz Matchett. However, the organization has not yet taken a position on the bill.

“I agree that we want to support all children to be able to read. If they can’t read, they can’t participate in education, which is the one way that is proven to change people’s circumstances,” said Matchett, who teaches Spanish at Gunn High School in Palo Alto. “There’s nothing to oppose about that. I’m still a classroom teacher, and all the time, you get kids in high school who can’t read.”

Education Trust-West urges changes in the bill to center the needs of “multilingual learners” — children who speak languages other than English at home — and to include more oversight and fewer mandates, such as those that may discourage new teachers from entering the profession.

“If our recommended amendments were to be accepted, EdTrust-West would support it as a much-needed solution to California’s acute literacy crisis.”

Claude Goldenberg, professor emeritus of education at Stanford University, said “it was disappointing” to see CTA’s opposition, particularly because the union did not suggest amendments. He said he had met with representatives from CTA and urged them to identify what could be changed in the bill.

In a recent EdSource commentary, Goldenberg urged opponents to “do the right thing for all students. AB 2222’s introduction is an important step forward on the road to universal literacy in California. We must get it on the right track and take it across the finish line.”

Referring to the CTA’s opposition, Goldenberg said, “Obviously my urgings fell flat. They identified why they’re opposing, but there’s no indication of any possible re-evaluation.” 

Goldenberg, who served on the National Literacy Panel, which synthesized research on literacy development among children who speak languages other than English, has called on the bill’s authors to amend it to include a more comprehensive definition of the “science of reading” and include more information about teaching students to read in English as a second language and in their home languages.

The CTA has changed its position on bills related to literacy instruction in the last two years. It had originally supported Senate Bill 488, which passed in 2022. The legislation requires a literacy performance assessment for teachers and oversight of literacy instruction in teacher preparation. The union is now in support of a bill that would do away with both.

The change of course was attributed to a survey of 1,300 CTA members, who said the assessment caused stress, took away time that could have been used to collaborate with mentors and for teaching, and did not prepare them to meet the needs of students, according to Leslie Littman, vice president of the union, in a prior interview. 

Veteran political observer Dan Schnur said he’s not surprised CTA would oppose the bill since some of its political allies are against it; the question is how important CTA considers the bill. 

“If it becomes a pitched battle, CTA will have to decide whether it is one of its highest priorities in this session,” he said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom hasn’t indicated his position yet, but Schnur, the press secretary for former Gov. Pete Wilson, who teaches political communications at UC Berkeley and USC, said, “This is not the type of fight Newsom needs or wants right now. If he has strong feelings, it’s hard to see him going to war for or against.”

By Allen D. Payton

Some of the same unions backing Antioch Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson in the Assembly District 15 race on the March primary ballot have spent almost $253,000 attacking one of her three opponents, former Contra Costa County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff.

At least four mailers have been sent to Democrat voters in the district criticizing Mitchoff’s pay raise she voted for while on the board, and her votes against pay raises for county employees.

Two of the mailers obtained by the Herald show they were paid for by “Opportunity PAC – A coalition of teachers, health care givers, faculty members, school employees, and public and private employee organizations.” The political action committee’s Top Funders for the mailers are listed as SEIU (Service Employees International Union) California State Council, California Faculty Association (of the UC and CSU systems) and California School Employee Association.

When asked about the mailers Mitchoff said they’re all pretty much about the same issue. “The same group with the same message. My decision on the pay raise was made over 10 years ago because I wanted to make sure the county supervisors were paid enough to make it a full-time position.” She also pointed out that she did vote for pay raises for county employees, “in 2022, giving them 5% a year for four years, for a total increase of 20%.”

The interesting part is that some of the state teachers’ unions including college and university faculty and staff are helping pay for the mailers, even though as a member of the Board of Supervisors, Mitchoff had no say about education funding.

According to Cal-Access, the California Secretary of State’s campaign finance reporting website, so far, the PAC has made three expenditures of $46,446.03 each for three mailers opposing Mitchoff, two on Feb. 1 and one on Feb. 13, 2024. The cost for a fourth mailer that appear under the PAC’s Accrued Expenses show an additional $46,446.03. That totals $185,784.12. In addition, the PAC spent $37,000.00 on polling and consulting and $30,126.43 on research in their effort against Mitchoff.

Contributions to PAC Total Over $2.5 Million

The PAC is supporting and opposing a variety of candidates throughout the state. Their most recent Form 460 financial disclosure report dated Feb. 17, 2024, shows they have raised $1.715 million this year and their report ending Dec. 31, 2023, shows $803,500 was raised last year for a total of $2,518,500. They had cash on hand of over $1.1 million as of Feb. 17th.

Contributions include the following amounts and sources:

$750,000 from the California Teachers Association Independent Expenditure Committee;

$534,500 from SEIU California State Council for Working People;

$225,000 from PACE (Political Action for Classified Employees) of California School Employees Association;

$190,000 from Smart Justice California Action Fund;

$150,000 from United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council Independent Expenditure PAC;

$150,000 from California Federation of Teachers COPE (Committee on Political Education);

$150,000 from Service Employees International Union Local 1000, Keeping California Healthy, Safe and Strong;

$100,000 from Service Employees International Union Local 721 CTW, CLC Workers’ Strength Committee;

$75,000 from SEIU United Healthcare Workers West PAC;

$59,500 from Faculty for Our University’s Future, a committee sponsored by California Faculty Association;

$59,500 from Standing Committee on Political Education of the California Labor Federation AFL-CIO;

$50,000 from the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay Bisexual & Transgender) Caucus Leadership Fund; and

$25,000 from SEIU California State Council (nonprofit 501 (c)(5))

Wilson’s Backers Funding Mitchoff Opposition Effort

Wilson’s campaign has been the beneficiary of support from many of those same unions. On her campaign website, Wilson shows endorsements by the California Faculty Association, SEIU California, National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) and United Food & Commercial Workers Local 5, as well as unions that are members of the AFL-CIO.

Wilson and Mitchoff also face two others in the race, including County School Board Trustee Anamarie Avila Farias and Realtor Sonia Ledo in the March 5th primary election next Tuesday. The top two will face off in the November election.

State could retain unpopular written literacy test

By Dana Lambert, EdSource.org – republished with permission

Newly proposed legislation sponsored by the California Teachers Association would eliminate all performance assessments teachers are required to pass, including one for literacy that it supported three years ago. The result could leave in place an unpopular written test that the literacy performance assessment was designed to replace.

Senate Bill 1263, authored by state Sen. Josh Newman, D-Fullerton, would do away with the California Teaching Performance Assessment, known as the CalTPA, through which teachers demonstrate their competence via video clips of instruction and written reflections on their practice. 

Eliminating the assessment will increase the number of effective teachers in classrooms, as the state continues to contend with a teacher shortage, said Newman, chairman of the Senate Education Committee.

“One key to improving the educator pipeline is removing barriers that may be dissuading otherwise talented and qualified prospective people from pursuing a career as an educator,” Newman said in a statement to EdSource.

The bill also would do away with a literacy performance assessment of teachers and oversight of literacy instruction in teacher preparation programs mandated by Senate Bill 488, authored by Sen. Susan Rubio, D-West Covina, in 2021.

The literacy performance assessment is scheduled to be piloted in the next few months. It is meant to replace the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) set to be scrapped in 2025. 

New law could leave RICA in place

The proposed legislation appears to leave in place a requirement that candidates for a preliminary multiple-subject or education specialist credential pass a reading instruction competence assessment, said David DeGuire, a director at the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

“At this time, it is unclear what that assessment would look like, but it could be that the state continues to use the current version of the RICA,” he said.

Newman will present the legislation to the Senate Education Committee in the next few months. Discussions about whether the RICA remains in use are likely to take place during the legislative process.

Rubio recently became aware of the new legislation and had not yet discussed it with Newman.

“For three years, I worked arduously and collaboratively with a broad range of education leaders, including parent groups, teacher associations and other stakeholders to modernize a key component of our educational system that in my 17 years as a classroom teacher and school administrator I saw as counterproductive to our students’ learning,” Rubio said of Senate Bill 488.

Teachers union changes course 

The California Teachers Association, which originally supported Senate Bill 488, now wants all performance assessments, including the literacy performance assessment, eliminated.

“We are all scratching our heads,” said Yolie Flores, of Families in Schools, a Los Angeles-based education advocacy organization. “We were really blindsided by this (legislation), given the momentum around strengthening our teacher prep programs.”

The results of a survey of almost 1,300 CTA members last year convinced the state teachers union to push for the elimination of the CalTPA, said Leslie Littman, vice president of the union. Teachers who took the survey said the test caused stress, took away time that could have been used to collaborate with mentors and for teaching, and did not prepare them to meet the needs of students, she said.

“I think what we were probably not cognizant of at that time, and it really has become very clear of late, is just how much of a burden these assessments have placed on these teacher candidates,” Littman said. 

Teacher candidates would be better served if they were observed over longer periods of time, during student teaching, apprenticeships, residencies and mentorship programs, to determine if they were ready to teach, Littman said. This would also allow a mentor to counsel and support the candidate to ensure they have the required skills.

California joins science of reading movement

California has joined a national effort to change how reading is being taught in schools. States nationwide are rethinking balanced literacy, which has its roots in whole language instruction or teaching children to recognize words by sight, and replacing it with a method that teaches them to decode words by sounding them out, a process known as phonics. 

Smarter Balanced test scores, released last fall, show that only 46.6% of the state’s students who were tested met academic standards in English.

Last week Assemblymember Blanca Rubio, D-Baldwin Park, introduced Assembly Bill 2222, which would mandate that schools use evidence-based reading instruction. California, a “local control” state, currently only encourages school districts to incorporate fundamental reading skills, including phonics, into instruction.

 “It (Newman’s SB 1263) goes against not only the movement, but everything we know from best practices, evidence, research, science, of how we need to equip new teachers and existing teachers, frankly, to teach literacy,” Flores said. “And that we would wipe it away at this very moment where we’re finally getting some traction is just very concerning.”

Lori DePole, co-director of DeCoding Dyslexia California, said the proposed legislation would cut any progress the state has made “off at the knees.” 

Among her concerns is the elimination of the requirement, also authorized by Senate Bill 488, that the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing certify that teacher preparation programs are teaching literacy aligned to state standards and a provision that requires the commission to report to the state Legislature annually on how stakeholders are meeting the requirements of the law.

“It would be going away,” DePole said. “Everyone agreed with SB 488, all the supporters agreed, this was the direction California needed to go to strengthen teacher prep with respect to literacy. And before it can even be fully implemented, we’re going to do a 180 with this legislation. It makes no sense.”

Flores said teachers want to be equipped to teach reading using evidence-based techniques, but many don’t know how.

“We know that reading is the gateway, and if kids can’t read, it’s practically game over, right?” said Flores. “And we are saying with this bill that it doesn’t matter, that we don’t really need to teach and show that teachers know how to teach reading.”

Teacher tests replaced by coursework, degrees

California has been moving away from standardized testing for teacher candidates for several years as the teacher shortage worsened. In July 2021, legislation gave teacher candidates the option to take approved coursework instead of the California Basic Education Skills Test, or CBEST, or the California Subject Examinations for Teachers, or CSET. In January’s tentative budget, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed eliminating the CBEST and allowing the completion of a bachelor’s degree to satisfy the state’s basic skills requirement.

Littman disagrees with the idea that there will be no accountability for teachers if the legislation passes. “There’s always been, and will continue to be, an evaluation component for all of our teachers in this state,” she said. “It just depends on what your district does and how they implement that. There’s always been a system of accountability for folks.”

Members currently voting on interest to authorize a strike; district says union’s budget figures incorrect

The two sides differ on amount available for pay & benefit increases by almost $18 million

“You can only get burned so many times before you stop believing them.” – AEA President Bob Carson

By Allen D. Payton

The Antioch Education Association (AEA) is planning to hold a “Rally for Student Success” on Wednesday, Feb. 21 as part of a larger effort of the East Bay Coalition for Student Success (EBCSS). In addition, the local teachers’ union members are voting on interest to authorize a strike.

In a Dec. 18, 2023 post on the Antioch Education Association’s (AEA) Facebook page they wrote, “District revenues have skyrocketed over the last few years but the % of those monies spent on educator’s salaries continues to decline??? How can we attract and retain the best educators for the students of Antioch when this is happening?”

Another post on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024 reads, “Antioch Unified School District Why???” and claims, “AUSD ended the year with $88M in unspent funds. After taking out restricted money and reserves…AUSD STILL has $34.4 million sitting in the bank that can be used for staff salaries and benefits.”

In another Facebook post that day, the AEA posted a flier about the rally which included what they’re seeking. The flier reads, “Join us as we raise our voices in support of/for: quality educators in every classroom, smaller class sizes and caseloads, salary increase reflective of the 8.22% COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment), fully paid medical benefits for all members and safe schools for our students and members.”

According to a June 2023 article on their website, the EBCSS was formed in September 2022, and “is committed to ensuring local school districts continue to prioritize funds to provide the best for student learning and educator retention and attraction. Locals and district management teams in the coalition have been working hard at the bargaining table to win agreements that focus resources on students and educators.”

Emails were sent to both Bob Carson, President of the AEA and a member of the EBCSS, and Antioch Unified School District Superintendent Stephanie Anello asking for more details about a possible strike.

Antioch Teachers’ Union President Offers Details

Carson responded, “No EBCSS association has authorized a strike. What many have done is have preliminary strike authorization votes. Antioch is doing one right now, as is Pittsburg. Other chapters like Piedmont, Pleasanton, Moraga and Dublin have already concluded their strike authorization votes. These are not votes on whether educators are going on strike but whether they will be supporting their negotiating teams until the end and be willing to participate in actions called on by the Association. A final strike vote could only occur after all the steps in the negotiating process have failed. In Antioch and these other locations, we are not there yet.

The goal of the EBCSS and its members is that each student find success. There are many ways to help make that happen. Smaller class sizes so students get more individual attention, the best technology, and safe schools are just some of things the EBCSS advocates for. We believe the most important need in a student finding success in school is to have a quality educator in every classroom. Paying competitive salaries, having full paid medical benefits (at the Kaiser rate), and good working conditions is how you get quality educators.

To be specific to what is happening in Antioch, the AUSD negotiating team presented AEA with their “best and final” offer in a December negotiating session. Since we found that offer lacking in many areas, we rejected it. We were then at “impasse”. We now have a state appointed mediator who is trying to find a way to get the 2 sides to reach an agreement. We have met 3 times with that mediator and have another meeting scheduled for 2/22. No specific offers being presented are allowed to be publicly discussed during mediation. I can tell you we have had no success to date. If the mediator at some point feels there is no hope in facilitating an agreement, either side can then move the negotiations to “fact-finding” where an appointed arbitrator receives information from both teams and writes a statement on their findings. After fact-finding, the 2 sides are required to meet for at least one more negotiating session where the district could again present their best and final offer. At that point, a strike vote could be called.

AEA is hopeful that an agreement can be reached but will not accept an offer that is not reflective of the 8.22% COLA increase the district received this year. Class size, caseloads for counselors and speech pathologists, medical benefits, and salary are the main issues right now.  As you saw on our FB page, we are planning a rally on 2/21, in conjunction with other EBCSS associations. We want to bring attention to the issues. One serious problem for us is the tremendous ending balances AUSD is carrying over every year. This is money provided by the state of California to be used on our students. Instead, its sits in the bank – year after year. This year AUSD had an ending balance of $34,000 million dollars in unrestricted funds (money that can be spent on anything) not used. They had close to another $40 million in restricted funds also not spent. This is after accounting for the prudent reserve required of them to have by the state. To me – and AEA members – that is crazy. That money could be used in many ways to help the students of Antioch and to help AUSD find quality educators.”

District Says Teachers’ Union Using Old, Incorrect Information

In response to the request for more details from Superintendent Anello and the claims by the AED, the school district’s Associate Superintendent for Business and Operations, Liz Robbins shared the following: “Their information is from the unaudited actuals report which shows how the District ended the 2022-2023 school year.

Our first interim budget report which was presented to the Board in December,  provides the most current financial information.

$46.2 million is restricted monies; $22.5 million is unrestricted. Of the $22.5 million, $18 million is allocated for potential salary and benefit increases. $4.5 million is allocated for school improvements and upgrades including HVAC, security, and technology. Lastly, $9.4 million of the ending fund balance is the set-aside required by the State for economic uncertainty. This leaves approximately $500k of unassigned funds in the ending fund balance.

The budget is not a static document, and an updated second interim financial report will be presented to the Board on March 13.”

$17.9 Million Difference Between District Budget & Teachers’ Union Figure

According to the 2023-24 First Interim MYP (Multi Year Plan) – Components of Fund Balance chart on page 80 of the 2023-24 First Interim Budget Presentation, provided to the school board at their meeting on Dec. 13, 2023, it shows $15,961,836 “Assigned for Potential Employee Negotiated Settlement”. That plus the $521,041 in Unassigned/Unappropriated funds results in about $16.5 million available for salary and benefit increases, which is $17.9 million less than what the teachers’ union claims is available.

AEA President Disagrees Says District Using Projected Estimates

That information was provided to Carson who was asked if he had a final response on the matter, for now. He provided the chart (above) and replied, “In September of each year the district presents to the school board their ‘unaudited actuals’. This financial report reflects the district’s final year end closing from the previous June (end of the financial year). The numbers I gave you are from that. Those numbers are what the district had left over from the previous year. Money not spent. That’s a fact – straight from their reporting.”

“The December (which Liz references) and March interim reports are estimates based on what the district says they are going to do. The September report is what they did,” Carson continued. “What they really spent. For example, last year the district said they would have $7 million in unrestricted funds left over in their December interim report but in September they had $34 million!!!!! Their estimate was way off. I will bet you a soda it will be way off again come September 2024. On top of all that, the district received an 8.22% COLA increase!!!”

“If this was a one-year bad projection, we would understand. It happens every year and it’s just getting worse. I will attach the ending balances over the past few years. You can only get burned so many times before you stop believing them. It’s frustrating. We want the students of Antioch to have quality educators in every classroom. Our proposals are fair attempts at making that happen. We are by no means trying to break the bank – not even close,” Carson concluded.

The teachers’ rally will be held from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. at the corner of Auto Center Drive and Century Blvd.

OAKLAND, Calif.  – SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West President Dave Regan issued the following statement on California’s healthcare worker minimum wage law (SB 525):

“California’s healthcare worker minimum wage law (SB 525) addresses critical staffing shortages by helping to retain existing healthcare workers and attract new caregivers to the industry. The state needs to hold fast to its commitment to invest in its healthcare workers and solve the staffing crisis in our hospitals, clinics, and medical centers. 

Passed overwhelmingly by the state legislature and signed by the Governor, the bill had backing from across the healthcare industry, including the California Hospital Association and frontline healthcare workers.

The impact of the new healthcare minimum wage on the state budget has been severely overstated. As part of a compromise among healthcare stakeholders, the minimum wage will be gradually phased in over the next few years. In addition, a UC Berkeley Labor Center report states that the impact on the California budget will be partially or fully offset by low-paid workers no longer relying on Medi-Cal for their healthcare coverage.

With billions in profits, the healthcare industry has the financial resources to raise wages for their lowest-paid workers. Even before Governor Newsom signed the healthcare worker minimum wage into law, many healthcare employers had already implemented or incorporated a path to a $25/hr minimum wage for their workforce, including Stanford Healthcare, Fresenius Medical Care, Satellite Healthcare, and the biggest healthcare provider in the state, Kaiser Permanente in its largest labor contract. 

Frontline healthcare workers are counting on the state of California not to waver from its commitment to addressing the patient care crisis and supporting those who provide that care.”