California Dems weigh in on ballot measures + Equality Unites looks at the year that was
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS WEIGH IN ON BALLOT MEASURES
The leaders of the California Democratic Party convened over the weekend to deliberate on which propositions to endorse on this November’s ballot.
The verdict?
Democrats are unsurprisingly all in on Proposition 1, the measure to codify the right to an abortion in the California Constitution. The party came out in favor of Proposition 28, which aims to provide additional arts and music funding for California’s K-12 schools and Proposition 29, this year’s attempt at mandating that a licensed medical professional be on-site at state dialysis clinics.
Proposition 30, the wealth tax that aims to fund clean air initiatives including a rebate program for zero-emission vehicles got the party nod, along with Proposition 31, the referendum on the 2020 flavored tobacco ban for which a “yes” vote will uphold the law.
The state Democratic Party declined to endorse for Proposition 26, the tribal sports betting initiative, but came out firmly opposed to Proposition 27, the rival gambling initiative that would legalize online and mobile sports betting.
But the Democrats weren’t done yet.
They also voted to preemptively endorse a proposition that recently qualified for the November 2024 election — the $18-an-hour minimum wage.
EQUALITY UNITES MARKS THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Equality Unites, the union representing employees of Equality California, the largest statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization in the country, took to Twitter on Monday to post a year in review.
July 29, 2021, marks the date that the union sent an official request for recognition to Equality California, with 74% support from the bargaining unit, according to union tweet.
The union achieved recognition in October 2021, and collective bargaining sessions with Equality California management began in January.
“By February 2022 Equality Unites Bargaining Committee had drafted and submitted 35 proposals to the Company and only received 3 tentative agreements on proposals,” the union said in a tweet. “By June 16, 2022, the Company had received ALL 49 proposals from our Bargaining Committee. We have 8 proposals with tentative agreements, 2 proposals that have been rejected by both parties.”
Samuel Garrett-Pate, spokesman for Equality California, said that the organization has and will continue to negotiate in good faith with the union.
“We look forward to reaching a fair agreement promptly,” he said.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“In a single sentence: The best thing Democrats have going for them heading into the midterms is the Republicans.”
- California GOP consultant Mike Madrid, via Twitter.
Best of the Bee:
In the first days after the June primary election, multiple media outlets ran stories based on early counts predicting low voter turnout in Sacramento and statewide. It turned out not so bad, via Phillip Reese.
Roughly 17,000 registered nurses at University of California health systems, including those at UC Davis, voted to ratify a labor contract that provides wage increases of 16% across the board over three years, their union announced Monday, via Cathie Anderson.
Is California Gov. Gavin Newsom exaggerating when he says Golden State residents now will have “universal access to health coverage” as a result of a budget deal that will open Medi-Cal to 700,000 undocumented immigrants ages 26 to 49? Via Cathie Anderson.
Overtime has increased faster at Cal Fire than at any other California state agency in recent years, growing by 135% since 2012, according to an analysis by The Sacramento Bee. It is accelerating, adding costs for taxpayers and stress for some employees, via Wes Venteicher and Phillip Reese.