Two weeks have passed since we withheld our labor in the first ever strike of California state civil service workers. Together we are writing history!
Check out the growing list of news outlets that have shared our story: https://capscontract2023.org/the-platform/news/.
Strike participation. If you forgot to sign in at your physical picket location or for virtual strike shift when your CAPS district was called to strike between 11/15 – 11/17, please retroactively fill out this sign-in form, ASAP, for each day you participated in at least one shift.
If you did not complete one of these strike shift options but you did withhold your labor from the state (i.e. did not take pay), please fill out this same form and select the “Withheld labor but did not participate in a strike duty shift” option.
If you signed in after the strike concluded and applied for CAPS strike hardship funds, you may be contacted by a member of the CAPS Benefits Committee to verify your strike duty participation.
Time cards. Your supervisor or personnel specialist was likely directed by their management to code your time while you were on strike as Absent Without Leave (AWOL). AWOL simply means that you did not receive “permission” to not report to work when it is for under five days, for a Permanent, Full-Time employee (it may mean something different for folks in Permanent Intermittent positions, specifically). In the interim, while the complaint goes through the process at the Public Employees Relations Board (PERB), this type of coding will remain.
If your time on strike was not entered and you must complete your time entry, ask your personnel specialist what code is appropriate or use the code you are directed to and stay tuned!
Review your time card carefully to ensure the day(s) you were on strike are captured accurately.
If you were on pre-approved vacation during the strike and elect to stand in solidarity with your union, you may change that time code to refuse state pay.
Make sure to sign-in if you did not already (see above).
If you have any additional questions, please contact CAPS (caps@capsscientists.org).
Worksite leaders. The success of our union is in the power and organization of our membership. The Member Action Committee (MAC) established the Contract Action Team (CAT) in 2022 to empower organic leaders and activists within our membership to plan and implement union actions in support of bargaining (e.g., solidarity breaks, practice pickets), and establish an organic communication network between worksites. Think of those colleagues who like to stay up-to-date on the contract campaign, and who act as leaders in your workplace, and nominate them to join the CAT. If this sounds like you, you can apply now!
Why? Because when we fight, we win!
Learn more about the CAT here: Contract Action Team – California Association of Professional Scientists.
Please add your photos and videos from our historic Defiance for Science strike to our DropEvent.
Other Ways to Get Involved:
COP28 Social Media Storm: COP28 needs to #ValueScientists. You and your colleagues will get on social media next Monday morning, December 11, 2023, once per hour between 5 a.m. and 1 p.m., PST, and ensure that the folks at COP28 know that the world needs to #ValueScientists! Find a toolkit of posts, images, and hashtags here!
Practice Picketing! Keep up the pressure by continuing to engage in Practice Picketing at your worksite! Sign up to be a Practice Picketing Captain here. REMEMBER: we’re not on strike, we’re increasing our stamina in case we need to again, because practice makes perfect! View more information about Practice Picketing and the Practice Picketing Toolkit on the CAPS website here.