California
Riverside, California: HCA nurses strike continues as coronavirus takes its toll
By Alex Johnson, 4 July 2020
According to health officials, the confirmed active case count in Riverside bloated to 10,059 on Thursday, compared to 9,532 on Wednesday. The number of deaths due to COVID-19 stands at 465.
Riverside, California Nurses strike continues as ICU beds reach capacity
By Kevin Martinez, 2 July 2020
Nurses are protesting unsafe working conditions while county health officials announced this week that ICU beds were at 99 percent capacity
SEP presidential candidates Kishore and Santa Cruz file federal lawsuit challenging ballot access restrictions in California
By Norissa Santa Cruz—SEP Vice Presidential Candidate, 2 July 2020
The Socialist Equality Party’s candidates argued in court filings Tuesday that the state’s requirement that the candidates gather 200,000 voter signatures is impossible to meet during the pandemic and a violation of basic democratic rights.
Riverside Community Hospital nurses strike in California
By Kevin Martinez, 26 June 2020
Nurses in the SEIU have launched a 10-day strike to protest staffing cuts while their for-profit hospital chain has received government bailouts.
San Diego city council approves $27 million increase in police budget, pledges millions for an Office of Race and Equity
By Linda Rios, 26 June 2020
The San Diego City Council’s budget for FY 2020-21 includes a $27 million increase in the funding of the Police Department and $3 million devoted to the creation of an “Office of Race and Equity.”
California Democrats collaborate with state employees union to cut workers’ wages by 11 percent
By Alan Gilman, 25 June 2020
Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1000 agreed to a two-year wage cut of over 11 percent for 96,000 custodians, administrators and nurses employed by the state government.
999 SEIU agrees to pay cuts for California state workers
24 June 2020
Thousands of educators laid off across California as state Democrats plan austerity budget
By Renae Cassimeda, 16 June 2020
Amid massive cuts to public education looming in the coming months, many of California’s K-12 public school districts facing prior budget shortfalls have already laid off educators for the coming school year.
Thousands protest over suspicious hanging deaths of two black men in southern California
By Rafael Azul, 15 June 2020
Protesters rallied in Palmdale, California on Saturday demanding answers in the death of Robert Fuller, a 24-year-old black worker found hanging from a tree outside City Hall.
999 California K-12 education budget cuts roundup
12 June 2020
Bakersfield, California protester dies after being run over by neo-Nazi
By Adam Mclean, 10 June 2020
The driver, Timothy Moore, was defended by police and subsequently released without charge after he rammed Robert Forbes.
Police kill unarmed 22-year-old man in Vallejo, California
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 6 June 2020
Sean Monterrosa was on his knees with his hands held up when police officers shot five bullets into him through the windshield of their unmarked cruiser.
California Governor Gavin Newsom ramps up reopening despite serious public health threats
By Norissa Santa Cruz and Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 29 May 2020
The Democratic governor is accelerating the re-opening of the state, allowing resumption of business for shopping malls, dine-in restaurants, and large gatherings, despite the enormous dangers of COVID-19.
Coronavirus pandemic spreads across the US South
Hospitals overwhelmed in California and Alabama as national death toll approaches 100,000
By Bryan Dyne, 23 May 2020
The spike in cases in such divergent areas of the country is another indication that, contrary to official policy, the spread of the coronavirus pandemic is not slowing but increasing.
Explosion at downtown Los Angeles warehouse injures 12 firefighters
By Peter Ross, 19 May 2020
The warehouse explosion spread the fire to adjacent buildings but was contained in about an hour by some 230 responders.
“How many people have to die for us to be treated like human beings?”
Tracy, California Amazon worker speaks out on coworker’s death
By Evan Blake, 30 April 2020
At least one worker at the warehouse has died from COVID-19 and many other have tested positive, as management moves to force workers to accept deadly working conditions or face getting fired and losing unemployment benefits.
The lessons of the University of California grad student strike
By Jonathan Burleigh and Norissa Santa Cruz, 30 April 2020
Lacking any viable political strategy, the leaders of the UC grad student strike capitulated to the United Auto Workers, the same union teaching assistants rebelled against.
999 UC grad students end strike
29 April 2020
270 Norissa speaking to UC strikers
28 April 2020
999 Norissa speaking to UC strikers
27 April 2020
Los Angeles mayor releases plan for massive budget cutting and city worker furloughs
By Dan Conway, 25 April 2020
The cuts announced by the Democratic mayor herald an onslaught of similar measures in other US cities and states.
Hundreds of laid-off San Diego, California teachers begin online teaching
By Evelyn Rios, 23 April 2020
While knowing they will not have a job next school year and facing unemployment in six weeks, hundreds of laid-off teachers in the Sweetwater district have gone back to work.
San Leandro, California police execute man suffering mental health crisis in front of dozens of people in packed Wal-Mart
By Jacob Crosse, 21 April 2020
The killing of 33-year-old Steven Taylor on Saturday sparked outrage after a 57-second graphic video was posted and shared widely on social media.
PG&E to plead guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter for Camp Fire deaths
By Dan Conway, 26 March 2020
The guilty plea allows the utility to escape further costs and legal liabilities stemming from its refusal to modernize its antiquated electrical grid.
Berkeley grad students vote to join wildcat strike as UAW scrambles to shut down struggle
By Jonathan Burleigh and Tom Hall, 11 March 2020
UAW Unit Chair Gerard Ramm declared that the union would not defend students who violated the no-strike clause in the UAW contract.
Sweetwater teachers and students protest impending mass firing of teachers
Norissa Santa Cruz – Socialist Equality Party candidate for vice president of the United States, 11 March 2020
Teachers, students and parents in California’s Sweetwater school district demonstrated outside a school board meeting.
Norissa Santa Cruz addresses University of California, Irvine strikers
California graduate student wildcat strike enters fifth week
By Jonathan Burleigh, 9 March 2020
As the strike spreads to administrative and professional workers at University of California's Hastings campus, Norissa Santa Cruz called at an organizing meeting at the Irvine campus for a break with the unions and a political struggle against the Democratic Party in defense of public education.
New report finds Tesla withheld workplace injury data from government
By Jessica Goldstein, 7 March 2020
A key factor in the dizzying growth of Tesla’s profits is management’s blatant disregard for workers’ safety and health.
University of California graduate student strike: A struggle against the United Auto Workers and the Democratic Party
By Tom Hall, 7 March 2020
For two months, UC graduate students and teaching assistants have engaged in a wildcat strike, rebelling against the UAW to demand cost of living adjustments in one of the most expensive states in the US.
San Ysidro, California high school students walk out to oppose attacks on public education
Joseph Kishore – Socialist Equality Party candidate for US president, 7 March 2020
On Friday, March 6, hundreds of students at San Ysidro High School in San Diego, California walked out to oppose budget cuts and attacks on public education.
110 UCSC interviews
4 March 2020
Striking University of California graduate students defy firings, expand strike
By Jonathan Burleigh, 3 March 2020
Thousands of graduate students and supporters rallied across California to demand higher wages and rehiring of over 100 victimized strikers. Administration, backed by the United Auto Workers, remains intransigent despite growing international support.
Workers must defeat the strikebreaking by the Democrats!
Stop the firings of University of California grad students!
Statement of Socialist Equality Party (US) Vice Presidential candidate Norissa Santa Cruz, 29 February 2020
Janet Napolitano, the UC president and Obama’s former director of Homeland Security, has fired 54 striking grad students for daring to fight for living wages and affordable housing.
San Diego educators and students protest devastating layoffs, program closures
By Evelyn Rios, 28 February 2020
Hundreds of protesters opposed the layoffs the school district and union agreed to.
As support for wildcat strike spreads
Unions work to defeat UC-Santa Cruz grad student strike
By Jonathan Burleigh, 27 February 2020
The UAW declared in an open letter at Berkeley that it would not defend the UCSC strikers or any UC Berkeley students who took sympathy wildcat action.
UC-Santa Cruz grad students continue wildcat strikes
By Anthony del Olmo, 26 February 2020
Another “Doomsday” rally is scheduled for Thursday, the new deadline set by the administration for grad students to end their strike or be fired.
California governor to collaborate with Trump against the homeless
By Dan Conway, 26 February 2020
California, the largest state in the US, also has the largest number of homeless people.
Hundreds of San Diego teachers slated to receive layoff notices due to $30 million budget deficit
By Evelyn Rios, 24 February 2020
Sweetwater board of trustees will vote Monday to approve pink slips and closures of learning centers
Demonstrations throughout California in support of wildcat strike by UC-Santa Cruz graduate teaching assistants
By Anthony del Olmo, 22 February 2020
Friday’s demonstrations were dubbed the “Doomsday Strike” in reference to the 11:59pm deadline set for UCSC TAs to submit Fall semester grades or be fired.
UC Santa Cruz graduate students defy administration ultimatum, vote to continue strike
By our reporters, 22 February 2020
While grad students, facing threats of dismissal and deportation, voted overwhelmingly to continue their wildcat strike, the UAW is seeking to contain the strike and prevent an open struggle against the Democrats.
Support for UC Santa Cruz strike spreads to other campuses, faculty
By Jonathan Burleigh, 21 February 2020
The Faculty Senate passed a resolution in favor of striking students and demonstrations have spread to at least four other UC campuses.
999 CA gov plans to house homeless in state property
21 February 2020
UC Santa Cruz graduate students call for expansion of wildcat strike
By Jonathan Burleigh, 19 February 2020
Striking University of California, Santa Cruz graduate students are bravely defying administration’s threats and intimidation as support grows across the UC system among students and faculty, and across the country.
US: Wayfair, Tripadvisor and other tech companies announce layoffs
By Mike Ingram, 18 February 2020
The two companies headquartered in Massachusetts announced layoffs as investors demand profitability while at least eight Bay Area tech companies have alerted the state government of job losses totaling 1,100 positions.
Striking University of California-Santa Cruz grad students defy UAW, arrests and threats of termination
By Stewart Bernays and David Brown, 18 February 2020
UC president and former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano threatened to fire striking workers and demanded that they honor the contract imposed by the UAW.
Oakland, California: With guns drawn, police evict homeless mothers from house
By Adam Mclean, 17 January 2020
A SWAT team wielding semi-automatic AR-15s broke down the front door of the house with a battering ram and arrested the residents of the house along with two protesters.
San Diego teachers notified of looming pink slips and layoffs
By Evelyn Rios, 28 December 2019
Amidst the continued cuts by the Sweetwater Union High School District, teachers are beginning to speak out in defense of their jobs and the future of education.
020 San Diego housing crisis
27 December 2019
“It’s just getting harder and harder to live”
Homeless in San Diego, “America’s Finest City”
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan and Ryley Koffing, 27 December 2019
San Diego has the fourth-highest number of homeless residents in the United States.
21 December 2019
999 Kaiser Permanente strike
20 December 2019
With support from Governor Newsom, California utility PG&E finalizes settlement with fire victims
By Anthony del Olmo, 19 December 2019
The revised settlement retains the incredibly inadequate $13.5 billion payout, a pittance compared to the immense destruction wrought by the company’s criminally negligent practices.
UC Santa Cruz graduate students wildcat strike enters critical phase
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 18 December 2019
The students, whose demand is a “Cost of Living Adjustment” to their wages as Graduate Teaching Assistants, are withholding submitting the final grades for Fall quarter.
California: Kaiser Permanente health care workers speak from the picket line
By our reporters, 18 December 2019
Kaiser Permanente workers spoke to WSWS reporters about the horrific conditions in its mental health care system.
California governor rejects PG&E’s bankruptcy settlement, demands token reforms
By Anthony del Olmo, 16 December 2019
If PG&E accedes to Newsom’s demands, the company’s board will simply be changed from Wall Street vultures to financial parasites from California.
Holiday shipping season begins with deaths of two UPS workers at California airport
By Steve Filips, 12 December 2019
As the holiday shipping season began, two young UPS workers were killed late last month when the cargo tugging vehicle they were riding overturned at the Ontario International Airport in California.
PG&E reaches minimal $13.5 billion settlement with victims of Californian fires
By Evan Blake, 11 December 2019
If approved, the deal will do nothing to make victims and their families whole, and will position PG&E to qualify for a $21 billion state wildfire fund to bail them out of future liabilities.
California graduate students on wildcat strike
By Evelyn Rios, 11 December 2019
Graduate students at the University of California, Santa Cruz are demanding raises to meet the cost of living in one of the country's most expensive regions.
PG&E failed to do inspections and maintenance on power lines for years, report finds
By Kevin Martinez, 5 December 2019
The 700-page report found that the company had systemic failures when it came to updating and fixing its infrastructure leading up to the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85 people.
Union reaches deal with University of Chicago, creating two-tier system for nurses
By Benjamin Mateus, 26 November 2019
Nurses at the University of Chicago Medical Center will vote tomorrow on the new contract, which will drive a chasm between higher-paid veteran nurses and all new hires.
California utility PG&E plans regular blackouts for another ten years as more residents have power cut this week
By Anthony del Omo and Dan Conway, 21 November 2019
Earlier this week, the Pacific Gas and Electricity utility (PG&E) announced that they would shut off electrical power to hundreds of thousands of customers beginning Wednesday morning in the fourth such mass power outage since October.
100 UC strike
14 November 2019
University of California union attempts to wear down workers with a sixth 24-hour strike
By Evelyn Rios, 13 November 2019
The real concern of the union is the amount of dues revenue that will be lost if UC continues to employ outsourced labor.
California police arrest woman for delivering stillborn baby with drugs in its system
By Dan Conway, 11 November 2019
California police arrested 25-year-old Chelsea Cheyenne Becker on a charge of 1st degree murder last week after she delivered a stillborn baby with methamphetamine in its system.
One year since the Northern California Camp Fire
An accounting of a crime
By Toby Reese, 11 November 2019
November 8 marked one year since the outbreak of the Northern California Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive fire in the state’s history.
UC Berkeley professors discuss the California wildfires and air quality
“Air pollution is arguably the greatest environmental catastrophe in the world today”
By David Levine, 4 November 2019
The WSWS recently spoke with Dr. Richard A. Muller, a University of California professor who has published research on issues of air pollution, as well as Jameson Karns, a UC researcher in the field of fire management.
More fires ignite as wildfire season deepens in California
By Kevin Martinez, 1 November 2019
11 fires are presently raging across California, with reports indicating that the state’s utility monopolies likely bear responsibility for the most damaging fires.
PG&E "can tell you what to do and you have to pay them money"
Growing outrage over PG&E role in California fire disaster
By Gabriel Black, 30 October 2019
Millions of people are frustrated and sickened by the regularization of the blackouts.
Hundreds of thousands evacuated, more than two million without power as fires continue in California
By Gabriel Black and Dan Conway, 29 October 2019
In the wealthiest state in the wealthiest country in the world, millions are forced to spend days without power or flee for their lives as wildfires continue to rage.
State of emergency as California wildfires force 200,000 to evacuate
By Renae Cassimeda, 28 October 2019
Large areas of northern California are engulfed in flames as wind gusts reach over 90 miles per hour, leading to the largest evacuation in the state’s history.
Over two million to be without power over weekend as wildfires sweep through California
By Dan Conway, 26 October 2019
Millions of Californians are told to prepare for further power outages as wildfires wreak havoc across the length of the country’s most populous state.
California utility PG&E imposes mass blackouts for second time this month
By Jonathan Burleigh, 25 October 2019
Despite California Governor Gavin Newsom’s posturing as an opponent of the utility’s profiteering, PG&E knows full well that it will not be held responsible for the social cost of its power shutoffs.
Video shows Fresno police officer shooting unarmed 10th grade boy in the head
By Tom Carter, 24 October 2019
After Isiah Murrietta-Golding’s body drops to the ground, another police officer yells, “good shot.”
Pacific Gas and Electric utility confronts mass outrage a week after Northern California power shutoffs
By Dan Conway, 17 October 2019
During last week’s outage, traffic signals went dark, water was not pumped from ground wells, food spoiled, and medical devices failed to operate.
California Governor vetoes $2 billion affordable housing bill
By Rafael Azul, 16 October 2019
Gavin Newsom’s veto exposes the Democrat as a fiscal austerity conservative in the mold of Republican governors.
“PG&E should be nationalized”: Berkeley students and residents denounce forced blackout in California
By Evan Blake, 16 October 2019
Last week’s blackout, which affected over two million people and businesses, lasted up to four days in some places and likely caused many premature deaths.
Wildfires and forced blackouts lead to multiple deaths in California
By Evan Blake, 14 October 2019
In total, Pacific Gas and Electric cut power to over 700,000 homes or businesses in two phases last Wednesday and Thursday, likely equivalent to over two million people.
As wildfires, power outages spread throughout California, tens of thousands ordered to evacuate
By Dan Conway, 12 October 2019
Fires burned throughout the Southern California region on Thursday and Friday, leading to deliberate power outages with dozens of homes and buildings destroyed.
The irrationality of capitalism: Millions cut off from electricity, lives endangered by California utility PG&E
By Evan Blake, 11 October 2019
The forced blackouts affecting over two million people and businesses across 34 counties in Northern California serve as a stark example of the irrationality of the capitalist system.
PG&E imposes blackout for over two million residents in Northern California
By Evan Blake, 10 October 2019
Facing wind storms, the energy monopoly cut power for masses of people, fearing liability in the event of further deadly wildfires sparked by its power lines.
Silicon Valley public service workers complete day two of “rolling” strike
By Renae Cassimeda, 4 October 2019
Taking to the picket lines for the first time in 40 years, 1,200 public service workers are on strike at facilities throughout Santa Clara County, California.
Sacramento, California killer cops return to work 18 months after murdering 22-year-old Stephon Clark
By Dan Conway, 28 September 2019
The two Sacramento, California, police officers who fatally shot unarmed Clark 20 times last year returned to work Thursday after no federal civil rights charges were brought against them.
US: Strike of 85,000 Kaiser Permanente workers called off by unions
By Kevin Martinez, 27 September 2019
The strike planned for October 15 has been called off after a tentative agreement was reached without any input from Kaiser Permanente’s 85,000 workers.
Strike date of October 14 set for 80,000 Kaiser Permanente health care workers across US
By Kevin Martinez, 19 September 2019
The walkout would be the largest strike in the US since 1997 and follow close on the heels of the strike by 46,000 GM autoworkers which began at midnight Sunday.
Eight dead, 26 missing in deadly boat fire off Southern California coast
By Norisa Diaz, 3 September 2019
Given the high likelihood that the remaining passengers will not be found alive, the fire on the Conception will rank among the deadliest maritime tragedies in California and US history.
Democrats enforce crackdown on vehicular homelessness in Los Angeles
By Rafael Azul, 23 August 2019
Nearly 10,000 people are forced by high rents and stagnant wages to live in their vehicles on the streets of the second largest city in the United States.
The newest #MeToo atrocity: Opera singer Plácido Domingo comes under attack
By David Walsh, 17 August 2019
On August 13, the Associated Press posted an article by Jocelyn Gecker alleging that Spanish opera singer Plácido Domingo had sexually harassed a number of women over a period of several decades.
US Kaiser Permanente workers vote overwhelmingly in favor of strike
By Dan Conway, 16 August 2019
The 98 percent strike vote is a powerful expression of opposition to decades of attacks on workers by the multi-trillion dollar US health care industry.
San Francisco school board proposes “compromise” in move to suppress historic Depression-era murals
By Toby Reese, 15 August 2019
School board officials in San Francisco continue their attempt to censor the left-wing murals painted by Victor Arnautoff at George Washington High School despite broad popular opposition.
Comments from August 13 SFUSD school board meeting
Supporters of the “Life of Washington” mural in San Francisco speak their minds
By Toby Reese, 15 August 2019
At Tuesday’s meeting of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD Board of Education), numerous speakers eloquently addressed the issues involved in the censorship of Victor Arnautoff’s “Life of Washington” mural.
220 San Francisco mural leaflet
14 August 2019
Large turnout to view George Washington murals slated for destruction by San Francisco school board
By Toby Reese, 7 August 2019
The George Washington High School was opened for two hours for a viewing of the 13-panel mural by left-wing Depression Era muralist Victor Arnautoff depicting the “Life of Washington.”
210 SF murals
6 August 2019
More than 150,000 healthcare and grocery workers could strike in California and other states
By Rafael Azul, 2 August 2019
Eighty-thousand Kaiser Permanente healthcare employees in several states and 70,000 supermarket workers in California and Oregon are poised to walk out.
US Marines arrested for human trafficking and drug offenses
By Kevin Martinez, 30 July 2019
Nineteen active-duty soldiers stationed at Camp Pendleton Marine Corp base in Southern California were arrested following an earlier investigation that revealed Marines smuggling immigrants near the US-Mexico border.
Anger of West Coast grocery workers mounts as union seeks to block strikes
By Dan Conway and Kimie Saito, 16 July 2019
Talks between the United Food & Commercial Workers and Southern California supermarket chains resumed last week after workers overwhelmingly voted in favor of strike.
Seventeen-year-old girl fatally shot by police on California freeway
By Alan Gilman, 13 July 2019
Hannah Williams was shot and killed after being involved in a minor traffic accident with a police vehicle in Fullerton, California.
10,000 Portland-area grocery workers authorize strike
By Norisa Diaz, 10 July 2019
The strike vote comes less than two weeks after 46,000 workers at three of the largest supermarket chains in Southern California also authorized a walkout.
Two major earthquakes strike in two days: Why aren’t California’s cities ready for the “big one”?
By Dan Conway, 8 July 2019
Although there was no significant injury or loss of life, the quakes caused significant damage to homes and small businesses in in the city of Ridgecrest, 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
Wildcat strike by Salinas, California food processing workers
By Rafael Azul, 13 June 2019
Salinas food industry workers are being driven into struggle against the unions, which enforce poverty wages and dangerous conditions.
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