Newsom: ‘Don’t even turn the page’ + Grievance at Equality California + CalSTRS to go ‘net zero’

Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

‘VOTE NO, AND GO TO THE MAILBOX’

Via Lara Korte...

It’s officially recall election month, and Gov. Gavin Newsom is again telling voters that the second question on the ballot doesn’t matter (to him).

“Simple request: vote no and go to the mailbox,” he said during a presser at a vaccine center in Alameda County on Tuesday. “Simple, no vote, don’t even turn the page and consider the other 46 (candidates).”

As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 4 million recall ballots had been returned, accounting for 18% of all ballots. Democrats continue to dominate returns and outpace other parties, making up 54% of total returns. According to a ballot tracker from Political Data Inc., 21% of Democrats have returned their ballots, compared to 18% of Republicans and 14% of independents and NPP voters.

Democrats were worried about making up a wide enthusiasm gap between their voters and those who want to see Newsom removed. Early polling showed Republicans were much more engaged in the recall election than Democrats.

But Newsom on Monday said he’s encouraged by the turnout so far and thanked the “tens of thousands” of volunteers knocking on doors and phone banking for him.

“We’re seeing that gap, in terms of knowledge, close very, very rapidly, and I’m very encouraged by that,” Newsom said “We have a GOTV effort that’s simply without precedent in California’s history.”

EQUALITY CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT ACCUSED OF BAD FAITH NEGOTIATIONS

The union representing Equality California workers took to Twitter recently to vent frustrations with management at the LGBT advocacy organization.

“Equality California’s leadership promised to negotiate in good faith — they reneged, and instead are engaging in clear anti-union tactics,” Equality Unites wrote in a Twitter thread over the weekend.

The union alleged that management has unnecessarily drawn out the negotiation schedule, while quibbling over who should, and should not, be a member of the bargaining unit.

The union decided to go public with their grievance after members felt management inappropriately brought up union issues at mandatory staff meetings, said Shannon Kozlovich, a PhD who works as a program manager at Equality California.

“I think the final straw for that was our most recent staff meeting,” Kozlovich said. “It very much felt like a captive audience meeting.”

Reached for comment, Equality California referred The Bee to its own Twitter thread made in response to the allegations from Equality United.

“Equality California has stood in solidarity with the Labor movement for 22 years, and we are committed to fighting for good wages and benefits and strong workplace protections for all — including our employees,” the organization tweeted.

Equality California said that it supports employees’ rights to form a union and that it has engaged in good faith negotiations since receiving Equality Unites’ initial letter.

“We’re eager to continue good-faith discussions as soon as their reps are ready to meet,” Equality California said in a tweet.

CALSTRS TO GO NET ZERO?

On Wednesday, the board of California State Teachers’ Retirement System, better known as CalSTRS, will debate whether to pledge to adopt a portfolio with net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The move comes as the $308 billion pension fund faces increased pressure, including from youth activists, to withdraw its investments in the oil and gas industry.

“Staff recognizes that these risks and opportunities are accelerating due to the increasing urgency and momentum from global governments, companies, the capital markets, and fellow investors to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement through achieving net-zero emissions over the coming decades. Staff has concluded, based on its research and diligence, that the failure to align the CalSTRS portfolio with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement exposes the portfolio to transition risks, which are reasonably foreseeable given the science and the collective global movement towards net zero,” according to a staff report accompanying the agenda for Wednesday’s board meeting.

Staff is recommending that the board approve the pledge.

The board meets at 9 a.m. The net zero pledge is the fifth item on the agenda.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“My maternal grandparents fled Nazi persecution (grandpa from Germany, grandma from Poland) before/during World War II, eventually making it to safety in America. Not all of their relatives were as lucky. What’s happening in Afghanistan right now hits very close to home.”

- Assemblyman Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park, via Twitter.

Best of the Bee:

• Gov. Gavin Newsom called the Caldor Fire California’s “No. 1 priority” and said the state is doing all it can to protect the Lake Tahoe Basin from the approaching wildfire, via Jeong Park.

• Gov. Gavin Newsom compared California’s COVID-19 rates to much higher ones in states with conservative governors Tuesday, warning that he could be replaced in the upcoming recall with a Republican who would make the Golden State’s response more like Texas or Florida’s, via Sophia Bollag.

• The recall election is barreling toward California voters. With less than two weeks to go until Sept. 14, nearly 3.5 million mail ballots have been returned, via Lara Korte.

This story was originally published September 1, 2021 at 4:55 AM.