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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Thursday, October 29, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Dolores Huerta is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106928/california-leaders-mourn-celebrate-dolores-huerta-and-her-legacy\">being remembered across the country\u003c/a> as an iconic leader of the United Farm Workers and a pioneering feminist and civil rights advocate. But she was rooted right here in California. And when she died Wednesday at the age of 96, she was at home in Bakersfield. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>The CEO of California’s High Speed Rail Authority \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-high-speed-rail-ceo-resigns/\">has abruptly resigned\u003c/a> from the job. \u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106928/california-leaders-mourn-celebrate-dolores-huerta-and-her-legacy\">California leaders mourn, celebrate Dolores Huerta and her legacy\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California leaders mourned Dolores Huerta, the indefatigable civil rights champion and farmworker advocate, praising her as a hero, giant and legend after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106881/dolores-huerta-influential-labor-leader-feminist-and-civil-rights-icon-dies-at-96\">her death on Wednesday\u003c/a> at age 96. Her family said in a statement that she died from cancer at home in Bakersfield. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta, who co-founded one of the world’s most renowned \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/120851/dolores-huerta-the-civil-rights-icon-who-showed-farmworkers-si-se-puede\">agricultural worker labor movements\u003c/a>, spent most of her life pushing for economic justice and a voice for the dispossessed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even at her advanced age, she continued to participate in marches and protests, and encouraged Latino citizens to vote, including just days ago, said Angelica Salas, who directs the Los Angeles-based nonprofit Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, and called Huerta “a mentor to thousands.” “She felt in her core that injustice had to be fought 24/7,” said Salas, adding that Huerta was a friend who supported her personally and professionally for decades. “The United States of America has lost a hero today.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A fierce labor negotiator in a field dominated by men, Huerta helped lead large strikes and boycotts in the 1960s and 1970s with the union that became the United Farm Workers. Her labor organizing changed state laws and produced some of the nation’s first contracts to secure drinking water, sanitary toilets and other basic rights for thousands of farmworkers. Huerta lobbied for California to become the first state to give agricultural workers the \u003ca href=\"https://www.alrb.ca.gov/forms-publications/faqs-and-guidance/fact-sheet-english/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">legal right to organize\u003c/a> and join unions in 1975, decades after the passage of a federal law that protected collective bargaining for other private-sector employees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta, who had more than a dozen children, coined the social-justice rallying cry “\u003ca href=\"https://ufw.org/research/history/history-si-se-puede/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sí se puede\u003c/a>,” translated as “Yes we can.” Former President Barack Obama, who coalesced millions of voters under the phrase during a historic 2008 presidential campaign, awarded Huerta the \u003ca href=\"https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/29/remarks-president-presidential-medal-freedom-ceremony\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012\u003c/a>, praising her determination and courage. Julián Castro, who leads the San Francisco-based Latino Community Foundation, said Huerta was an American icon who changed the course of history for good through her contributions to the labor movement, inspiring young women and men to work for social change. “Dolores, for me and I know for a lot of people, has been a role model of how you can dedicate your life to serving others, to making other people’s lives better,” Castro, a former U.S. housing secretary and San Antonio mayor who ran for president in 2020, told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta spoke out against the rampant sexual abuse of farmworker women in the fields in a 2013 \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/rape-in-the-fields/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">film and radio series\u003c/a> that KQED collaborated on with Frontline, CIR, IRP and Univision. “I believe that the employers are in total denial, and they will often take the word of the foreman or the manager against the woman if she does come forward,” Huerta said in the documentary. “And women know this. They know that they’re not going to be heard. They know that nobody’s going to be there to support them or protect them.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She stunned many by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077073/cesar-chavez-was-a-hero-to-farmworkers-now-they-confront-the-pain-of-alleged-abuse\">revealing\u003c/a> at age 95 that she herself was manipulated into sex and raped in the 1960s by the late union leader Cesar Chávez. Huerta came forward in a \u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em> investigation that uncovered disturbing accusations that Chávez sexually abused young girls and women for years. Huerta told the newspaper that she chose not to report the abuse partly because she feared that no one within the union would believe her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-high-speed-rail-ceo-resigns/\">Head of California high-speed rail agency resigns amid travel expenses scandal\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The CEO of California’s high-speed rail authority resigned late Wednesday, saying he needs to focus on “important personal and family priorities,” according to a copy of the emailed resignation obtained by CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This has not been an easy decision, as leading the Authority has been one of the most meaningful and rewarding chapters of my professional life,” wrote Chief Executive Ian Choudri.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He will be replaced by \u003ca href=\"https://dof.ca.gov/about-us/executive-staff/joe-stephenshaw/\">Joe Stephenshaw\u003c/a>, who has led the state Department of Finance since July 2022 after working as a policy analyst in the state Legislature for more than a decade, the board announced Thursday morning following a closed session.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The abrupt announcement comes in the midst of a two-day meeting of the board that oversees the project, which continues Thursday. It follows Choudri’s tumultuous two-year tenure, which has been troubled by budget woes, project delays, transparency concerns and various scandals including the misuse of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/california-high-speed-rail-travel-expenses/\">nearly $600,000 in taxpayer money\u003c/a> for questionable trips by rail authority consultants.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under Choudri, the authority also lost $4 billion in federal funding under President Donald Trump’s administration, after the agency \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-high-speed-rail-train-procurement-newsom/\">repeatedly missed deadlines\u003c/a> required by the funding agreement to buy trains. The state initially sued Trump for the funding but abruptly dropped the lawsuit in December 2025, \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/about/transparency-accountability/funding/federal-grants/\">blaming Trump as “not a reliable partner”\u003c/a> and turning to private investors instead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Investigative-Report-2026-Allegations-of-Wasteful-and-Unallowable-Travel-Expenses-for-Contracted-Consultants-A11Y.pdf\">State investigators\u003c/a> last month found the rail agency’s consultants flew first class, hailed premium rides and traveled to a nightclub, cigar lounge and restaurants on taxpayers’ dime, sometimes at Choudri’s request. Many of the trips involved traveling to Folsom, the Sacramento suburb where Choudri has a home, sometimes after hours. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The board voted earlier this month to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-high-speed-rail-board-contracts/\">limit Choudri’s contracting authority\u003c/a> following the probe, requiring the in-house legal counsel to sign off first on contracts under $25 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California voters in 2008 approved a $10 billion bond to build a bullet train connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles by 2020, with a projected cost of $45 billion. But progress stalled amid rising costs, legal fights and funding uncertainties. The authority’s \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-Final-Business-Plan-060126-A11Y.pdf\">latest business plan\u003c/a> said the project could now cost between $126 billion and $231 billion, with the current 171-mile leg between Merced and Bakersfield under construction, and a full buildout expected by 2040.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A fierce labor negotiator in a field dominated by men, Huerta helped lead large strikes and boycotts in the 1960s and 1970s with the union that became the United Farm Workers. Her labor organizing changed state laws and produced some of the nation’s first contracts to secure drinking water, sanitary toilets and other basic rights for thousands of farmworkers. Huerta lobbied for California to become the first state to give agricultural workers the \u003ca href=\"https://www.alrb.ca.gov/forms-publications/faqs-and-guidance/fact-sheet-english/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">legal right to organize\u003c/a> and join unions in 1975, decades after the passage of a federal law that protected collective bargaining for other private-sector employees.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta, who had more than a dozen children, coined the social-justice rallying cry “\u003ca href=\"https://ufw.org/research/history/history-si-se-puede/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sí se puede\u003c/a>,” translated as “Yes we can.” Former President Barack Obama, who coalesced millions of voters under the phrase during a historic 2008 presidential campaign, awarded Huerta the \u003ca href=\"https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/29/remarks-president-presidential-medal-freedom-ceremony\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012\u003c/a>, praising her determination and courage. Julián Castro, who leads the San Francisco-based Latino Community Foundation, said Huerta was an American icon who changed the course of history for good through her contributions to the labor movement, inspiring young women and men to work for social change. “Dolores, for me and I know for a lot of people, has been a role model of how you can dedicate your life to serving others, to making other people’s lives better,” Castro, a former U.S. housing secretary and San Antonio mayor who ran for president in 2020, told KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Huerta, who had more than a dozen children, coined the social-justice rallying cry “\u003ca href=\"https://ufw.org/research/history/history-si-se-puede/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sí se puede\u003c/a>,” translated as “Yes we can.” Former President Barack Obama, who coalesced millions of voters under the phrase during a historic 2008 presidential campaign, awarded Huerta the \u003ca href=\"https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/29/remarks-president-presidential-medal-freedom-ceremony\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012\u003c/a>, praising her determination and courage. Julián Castro, who leads the San Francisco-based Latino Community Foundation, said Huerta was an American icon who changed the course of history for good through her contributions to the labor movement, inspiring young women and men to work for social change. “Dolores, for me and I know for a lot of people, has been a role model of how you can dedicate your life to serving others, to making other people’s lives better,” Castro, a former U.S. housing secretary and San Antonio mayor who ran for president in 2020, told KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta spoke out against the rampant sexual abuse of farmworker women in the fields in a 2013 \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/rape-in-the-fields/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">film and radio series\u003c/a> that KQED collaborated on with Frontline, CIR, IRP and Univision. “I believe that the employers are in total denial, and they will often take the word of the foreman or the manager against the woman if she does come forward,” Huerta said in the documentary. “And women know this. They know that they’re not going to be heard. They know that nobody’s going to be there to support them or protect them.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Huerta spoke out against the rampant sexual abuse of farmworker women in the fields in a 2013 \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/rape-in-the-fields/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">film and radio series\u003c/a> that KQED collaborated on with Frontline, CIR, IRP and Univision. “I believe that the employers are in total denial, and they will often take the word of the foreman or the manager against the woman if she does come forward,” Huerta said in the documentary. “And women know this. They know that they’re not going to be heard. They know that nobody’s going to be there to support them or protect them.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She stunned many by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077073/cesar-chavez-was-a-hero-to-farmworkers-now-they-confront-the-pain-of-alleged-abuse\">revealing\u003c/a> at age 95 that she herself was manipulated into sex and raped in the 1960s by the late union leader Cesar Chávez. Huerta came forward in a \u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em> investigation that uncovered disturbing accusations that Chávez sexually abused young girls and women for years. Huerta told the newspaper that she chose not to report the abuse partly because she feared that no one within the union would believe her. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She stunned many by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077073/cesar-chavez-was-a-hero-to-farmworkers-now-they-confront-the-pain-of-alleged-abuse\">revealing\u003c/a> at age 95 that she herself was manipulated into sex and raped in the 1960s by the late union leader Cesar Chávez. Huerta came forward in a \u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em> investigation that uncovered disturbing accusations that Chávez sexually abused young girls and women for years. Huerta told the newspaper that she chose not to report the abuse partly because she feared that no one within the union would believe her. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Head of California high-speed rail agency resigns amid travel expenses scandal",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-high-speed-rail-ceo-resigns/\">Head of California high-speed rail agency resigns amid travel expenses scandal\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-high-speed-rail-ceo-resigns/\">Head of California high-speed rail agency resigns amid travel expenses scandal\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The CEO of California’s high-speed rail authority resigned late Wednesday, saying he needs to focus on “important personal and family priorities,” according to a copy of the emailed resignation obtained by CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The CEO of California’s high-speed rail authority resigned late Wednesday, saying he needs to focus on “important personal and family priorities,” according to a copy of the emailed resignation obtained by CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This has not been an easy decision, as leading the Authority has been one of the most meaningful and rewarding chapters of my professional life,” wrote Chief Executive Ian Choudri.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This has not been an easy decision, as leading the Authority has been one of the most meaningful and rewarding chapters of my professional life,” wrote Chief Executive Ian Choudri.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He will be replaced by \u003ca href=\"https://dof.ca.gov/about-us/executive-staff/joe-stephenshaw/\">Joe Stephenshaw\u003c/a>, who has led the state Department of Finance since July 2022 after working as a policy analyst in the state Legislature for more than a decade, the board announced Thursday morning following a closed session.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He will be replaced by \u003ca href=\"https://dof.ca.gov/about-us/executive-staff/joe-stephenshaw/\">Joe Stephenshaw\u003c/a>, who has led the state Department of Finance since July 2022 after working as a policy analyst in the state Legislature for more than a decade, the board announced Thursday morning following a closed session.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The abrupt announcement comes in the midst of a two-day meeting of the board that oversees the project, which continues Thursday. It follows Choudri’s tumultuous two-year tenure, which has been troubled by budget woes, project delays, transparency concerns and various scandals including the misuse of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/california-high-speed-rail-travel-expenses/\">nearly $600,000 in taxpayer money\u003c/a> for questionable trips by rail authority consultants.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The abrupt announcement comes in the midst of a two-day meeting of the board that oversees the project, which continues Thursday. It follows Choudri’s tumultuous two-year tenure, which has been troubled by budget woes, project delays, transparency concerns and various scandals including the misuse of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/california-high-speed-rail-travel-expenses/\">nearly $600,000 in taxpayer money\u003c/a> for questionable trips by rail authority consultants.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under Choudri, the authority also lost $4 billion in federal funding under President Donald Trump’s administration, after the agency \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-high-speed-rail-train-procurement-newsom/\">repeatedly missed deadlines\u003c/a> required by the funding agreement to buy trains. The state initially sued Trump for the funding but abruptly dropped the lawsuit in December 2025, \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/about/transparency-accountability/funding/federal-grants/\">blaming Trump as “not a reliable partner”\u003c/a> and turning to private investors instead.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Under Choudri, the authority also lost $4 billion in federal funding under President Donald Trump’s administration, after the agency \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-high-speed-rail-train-procurement-newsom/\">repeatedly missed deadlines\u003c/a> required by the funding agreement to buy trains. The state initially sued Trump for the funding but abruptly dropped the lawsuit in December 2025, \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/about/transparency-accountability/funding/federal-grants/\">blaming Trump as “not a reliable partner”\u003c/a> and turning to private investors instead.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Investigative-Report-2026-Allegations-of-Wasteful-and-Unallowable-Travel-Expenses-for-Contracted-Consultants-A11Y.pdf\">State investigators\u003c/a> last month found the rail agency’s consultants flew first class, hailed premium rides and traveled to a nightclub, cigar lounge and restaurants on taxpayers’ dime, sometimes at Choudri’s request. Many of the trips involved traveling to Folsom, the Sacramento suburb where Choudri has a home, sometimes after hours. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Investigative-Report-2026-Allegations-of-Wasteful-and-Unallowable-Travel-Expenses-for-Contracted-Consultants-A11Y.pdf\">State investigators\u003c/a> last month found the rail agency’s consultants flew first class, hailed premium rides and traveled to a nightclub, cigar lounge and restaurants on taxpayers’ dime, sometimes at Choudri’s request. Many of the trips involved traveling to Folsom, the Sacramento suburb where Choudri has a home, sometimes after hours. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The board voted earlier this month to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-high-speed-rail-board-contracts/\">limit Choudri’s contracting authority\u003c/a> following the probe, requiring the in-house legal counsel to sign off first on contracts under $25 million.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The board voted earlier this month to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-high-speed-rail-board-contracts/\">limit Choudri’s contracting authority\u003c/a> following the probe, requiring the in-house legal counsel to sign off first on contracts under $25 million.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California voters in 2008 approved a $10 billion bond to build a bullet train connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles by 2020, with a projected cost of $45 billion. But progress stalled amid rising costs, legal fights and funding uncertainties. The authority’s \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-Final-Business-Plan-060126-A11Y.pdf\">latest business plan\u003c/a> said the project could now cost between $126 billion and $231 billion, with the current 171-mile leg between Merced and Bakersfield under construction, and a full buildout expected by 2040.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California voters in 2008 approved a $10 billion bond to build a bullet train connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles by 2020, with a projected cost of $45 billion. But progress stalled amid rising costs, legal fights and funding uncertainties. The authority’s \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-Final-Business-Plan-060126-A11Y.pdf\">latest business plan\u003c/a> said the project could now cost between $126 billion and $231 billion, with the current 171-mile leg between Merced and Bakersfield under construction, and a full buildout expected by 2040.\u003c/p>\n"
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Thursday, October 29, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Dolores Huerta is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106928/california-leaders-mourn-celebrate-dolores-huerta-and-her-legacy\">being remembered across the country\u003c/a> as an iconic leader of the United Farm Workers and a pioneering feminist and civil rights advocate. But she was rooted right here in California. And when she died Wednesday at the age of 96, she was at home in Bakersfield. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>The CEO of California’s High Speed Rail Authority \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-high-speed-rail-ceo-resigns/\">has abruptly resigned\u003c/a> from the job. \u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106928/california-leaders-mourn-celebrate-dolores-huerta-and-her-legacy\">California leaders mourn, celebrate Dolores Huerta and her legacy\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California leaders mourned Dolores Huerta, the indefatigable civil rights champion and farmworker advocate, praising her as a hero, giant and legend after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106881/dolores-huerta-influential-labor-leader-feminist-and-civil-rights-icon-dies-at-96\">her death on Wednesday\u003c/a> at age 96. Her family said in a statement that she died from cancer at home in Bakersfield. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta, who co-founded one of the world’s most renowned \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/120851/dolores-huerta-the-civil-rights-icon-who-showed-farmworkers-si-se-puede\">agricultural worker labor movements\u003c/a>, spent most of her life pushing for economic justice and a voice for the dispossessed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even at her advanced age, she continued to participate in marches and protests, and encouraged Latino citizens to vote, including just days ago, said Angelica Salas, who directs the Los Angeles-based nonprofit Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, and called Huerta “a mentor to thousands.” “She felt in her core that injustice had to be fought 24/7,” said Salas, adding that Huerta was a friend who supported her personally and professionally for decades. “The United States of America has lost a hero today.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A fierce labor negotiator in a field dominated by men, Huerta helped lead large strikes and boycotts in the 1960s and 1970s with the union that became the United Farm Workers. Her labor organizing changed state laws and produced some of the nation’s first contracts to secure drinking water, sanitary toilets and other basic rights for thousands of farmworkers. Huerta lobbied for California to become the first state to give agricultural workers the \u003ca href=\"https://www.alrb.ca.gov/forms-publications/faqs-and-guidance/fact-sheet-english/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">legal right to organize\u003c/a> and join unions in 1975, decades after the passage of a federal law that protected collective bargaining for other private-sector employees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta, who had more than a dozen children, coined the social-justice rallying cry “\u003ca href=\"https://ufw.org/research/history/history-si-se-puede/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sí se puede\u003c/a>,” translated as “Yes we can.” Former President Barack Obama, who coalesced millions of voters under the phrase during a historic 2008 presidential campaign, awarded Huerta the \u003ca href=\"https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/29/remarks-president-presidential-medal-freedom-ceremony\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012\u003c/a>, praising her determination and courage. Julián Castro, who leads the San Francisco-based Latino Community Foundation, said Huerta was an American icon who changed the course of history for good through her contributions to the labor movement, inspiring young women and men to work for social change. “Dolores, for me and I know for a lot of people, has been a role model of how you can dedicate your life to serving others, to making other people’s lives better,” Castro, a former U.S. housing secretary and San Antonio mayor who ran for president in 2020, told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta spoke out against the rampant sexual abuse of farmworker women in the fields in a 2013 \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/rape-in-the-fields/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">film and radio series\u003c/a> that KQED collaborated on with Frontline, CIR, IRP and Univision. “I believe that the employers are in total denial, and they will often take the word of the foreman or the manager against the woman if she does come forward,” Huerta said in the documentary. “And women know this. They know that they’re not going to be heard. They know that nobody’s going to be there to support them or protect them.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She stunned many by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077073/cesar-chavez-was-a-hero-to-farmworkers-now-they-confront-the-pain-of-alleged-abuse\">revealing\u003c/a> at age 95 that she herself was manipulated into sex and raped in the 1960s by the late union leader Cesar Chávez. Huerta came forward in a \u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em> investigation that uncovered disturbing accusations that Chávez sexually abused young girls and women for years. Huerta told the newspaper that she chose not to report the abuse partly because she feared that no one within the union would believe her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-high-speed-rail-ceo-resigns/\">Head of California high-speed rail agency resigns amid travel expenses scandal\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The CEO of California’s high-speed rail authority resigned late Wednesday, saying he needs to focus on “important personal and family priorities,” according to a copy of the emailed resignation obtained by CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This has not been an easy decision, as leading the Authority has been one of the most meaningful and rewarding chapters of my professional life,” wrote Chief Executive Ian Choudri.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He will be replaced by \u003ca href=\"https://dof.ca.gov/about-us/executive-staff/joe-stephenshaw/\">Joe Stephenshaw\u003c/a>, who has led the state Department of Finance since July 2022 after working as a policy analyst in the state Legislature for more than a decade, the board announced Thursday morning following a closed session.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The abrupt announcement comes in the midst of a two-day meeting of the board that oversees the project, which continues Thursday. It follows Choudri’s tumultuous two-year tenure, which has been troubled by budget woes, project delays, transparency concerns and various scandals including the misuse of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/california-high-speed-rail-travel-expenses/\">nearly $600,000 in taxpayer money\u003c/a> for questionable trips by rail authority consultants.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under Choudri, the authority also lost $4 billion in federal funding under President Donald Trump’s administration, after the agency \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-high-speed-rail-train-procurement-newsom/\">repeatedly missed deadlines\u003c/a> required by the funding agreement to buy trains. The state initially sued Trump for the funding but abruptly dropped the lawsuit in December 2025, \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/about/transparency-accountability/funding/federal-grants/\">blaming Trump as “not a reliable partner”\u003c/a> and turning to private investors instead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Investigative-Report-2026-Allegations-of-Wasteful-and-Unallowable-Travel-Expenses-for-Contracted-Consultants-A11Y.pdf\">State investigators\u003c/a> last month found the rail agency’s consultants flew first class, hailed premium rides and traveled to a nightclub, cigar lounge and restaurants on taxpayers’ dime, sometimes at Choudri’s request. Many of the trips involved traveling to Folsom, the Sacramento suburb where Choudri has a home, sometimes after hours. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The board voted earlier this month to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-high-speed-rail-board-contracts/\">limit Choudri’s contracting authority\u003c/a> following the probe, requiring the in-house legal counsel to sign off first on contracts under $25 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California voters in 2008 approved a $10 billion bond to build a bullet train connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles by 2020, with a projected cost of $45 billion. But progress stalled amid rising costs, legal fights and funding uncertainties. The authority’s \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-Final-Business-Plan-060126-A11Y.pdf\">latest business plan\u003c/a> said the project could now cost between $126 billion and $231 billion, with the current 171-mile leg between Merced and Bakersfield under construction, and a full buildout expected by 2040.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "a-fight-over-farmworker-housing-is-on-the-ballot-in-this-bay-area-town",
"title": "A Fight Over Farmworker Housing Is on the Ballot in This Bay Area Town",
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"headTitle": "A Fight Over Farmworker Housing Is on the Ballot in This Bay Area Town | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After more than a half-century of marriage, Cándido Rosales and his wife are living apart in the same town.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She recently joined him from Mexico after waiting years for her immigration paperwork to be approved. But they haven’t found a place they can afford where they could live together in Half Moon Bay. She is staying with her sister; he shares a rented room with another person.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“A family has to be together, not separated,” 67-year-old Rosales said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rosales, who spent nearly 40 years working in agriculture, hopes a proposed affordable housing development at 555 Kelly Ave. in downtown Half Moon Bay will give him and his wife a place to call home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project, now four years in the making, was proposed a year before a 2023 mass shooting in the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11941716/we-have-a-moment-here-an-urgent-push-for-farmworker-housing-in-wake-of-half-moon-bay-tragedy\">exposed substandard living conditions on local farms\u003c/a> and intensified calls for improved affordable housing for farmworkers. But it’s since become a lightning rod in city politics.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opponents have called the five-story, 40-unit building out of character for Half Moon Bay’s quaint downtown and decried impacts to traffic and parking new residents might bring. Supporters, however, say it would help aging farmworkers remain in the community they helped nourish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite concerns from some residents, the city council approved the development in May, but opponents quickly rallied to put a referendum on the ballot. Now, voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether it moves forward.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105275\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The proposed affordable housing site for senior farmworkers at 555 Kelly Ave. in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across California, low wages and a shortage of affordable housing leave many farmworkers living in crowded homes or subpar conditions. Between 2015 and 2019, about 38% of the state’s crop workers lived in crowded housing — defined as more than one person sharing a room, according to the most recent U.S. Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For retired farmworkers, the options can be even more limited, said Rob Wiener of the California Coalition for Rural Housing. Decades of low-paid, physically demanding work often leave little money for retirement. Moving in with relatives can mean sharing an already-crowded home, while finding an affordable home elsewhere can mean leaving family and community behind, Wiener said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s even more difficult for farmworkers in counties like San Mateo, he said, where the median one-bedroom apartment rents for \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/rental-manager/market-trends/san-mateo-ca/?bedrooms=1\">more than $3,000 per month\u003c/a> and families must earn a minimum salary of \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/marketdata/data/haitraditional\">nearly $580,000\u003c/a> to afford buying a median-priced single-family home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Every community, in my view, should have the full life cycle of housing that’s needed,” Wiener said, “from family housing to housing for single adults and for retirees.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Housing built for larger farmworker families may not fit the needs of older adults living alone or as couples, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, executive director of Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or ALAS, said the proposal for the apartment building on Kelly Avenue grew out of the organization’s work during the pandemic, when staff at the nonprofit found agricultural workers in their 70s and 80s were still working because they could not afford to retire.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The ALAS office in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. ALAS is a nonprofit supporting farmworkers and their families. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some lived in housing tied to their jobs, meaning retirement could also cost them their homes. Others rented in the community but struggled to keep up with rising housing costs, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Our aging farm workers are telling us they can’t stop working,” Hernandez-Arriaga said. “Because if they stop working, they don’t have income.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If voters approve the proposed apartment building in Half Moon Bay, senior farmworkers who live or work in the city would get first priority, followed by those elsewhere along the coast and in San Mateo County, according to Mercy Housing, which is partnering with ALAS on the project. The nonprofit developer said those preferences are established in its agreements with the city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Along with apartments, the development would include a community center offering services such as health care and wellness programs. Its downtown location would put residents within walking distance of groceries, medical care, churches and organizations that already serve them, Hernandez-Arriaga said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Rosales, remaining close to services is important because he has never driven a car. He gets around by walking or taking the bus. He has lived in Half Moon Bay for about two decades and said he wants a home near the places he already relies on.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“What we like is having everything close at hand,” he said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But opponents question the building’s size — at five stories, it would be the tallest in downtown — as well as its effects on parking and traffic and the city’s obligations under the proposed 99-year lease.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rick Hernandez, vice chair of the Half Moon Bay Planning Commission, said he supports more affordable housing but has concerns about this specific development.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It would be the tallest in downtown,” Hernandez said, “and it’s out of character with our community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said a smaller development would be a better fit for a neighborhood where people already come for the library, church and community center. He also questioned what costs the city could face over the 99-year lease and whether the proposed lease agreement is adequate to ensure local residents get priority for the apartments.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hernandez-Arriaga sees the opposition as going beyond the building’s size. She questioned whether the older farmworkers who have been asking for housing for years are welcome downtown.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Why aren’t they good enough to be living downtown?” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Hernandez pushed back on that assertion. He pointed to other affordable housing developments in Half Moon Bay as examples of the city’s support for farmworkers, including a manufactured housing project the city approved soon after the 2023 mass shooting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is about striking the right balance,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ALAS and Mercy Housing jointly proposed the project after the city sought proposals for affordable apartments on the Kelly Avenue property in 2022. It was the only proposal submitted. But it faced opposition from the start.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the planning commission approved the project’s land-use permits in May 2024, residents appealed. The city council upheld that approval but didn’t sign off on a final lease agreement on the city-owned land until May 2026. Opponents then gathered enough signatures to put that decision before voters, suspending the ordinance until the election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The vote comes as the city faces pressure from the state over its broader housing obligations. In July, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-newsom-administration-take-legal-action-against-local\">sued Half Moon Bay\u003c/a> for failing to complete zoning changes required to bring its housing plan into compliance with state law, asking a court to require compliance and impose financial penalties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105277\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “Yes on Q” sign is posted at a local business in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jeff Regan, campaign organizer for Yes on 555 Kelly Ave., said rejecting the Kelly Avenue project would make it harder for the city to meet state housing goals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the city’s description of the lease, Mercy Housing would be responsible for constructing and maintaining the buildings, carrying required insurance and operating resident programs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, Mercy said about $28 million in public funding has been secured, including more than $6 million recently approved by San Mateo County. The plan anticipates covering the remaining $14 million through tax-credit financing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rosales has attended several meetings about the development, hoping it will move forward. For now, he visits his wife at her sister’s home, spends time talking with her, then leaves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He wants to stay in Half Moon Bay but said they are considering returning to Mexico if they cannot find a place to live together. Still, he’s reluctant to leave the city he’s called home for two decades. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’d like to stay here a little longer,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She recently joined him from Mexico after waiting years for her immigration paperwork to be approved. But they haven’t found a place they can afford where they could live together in Half Moon Bay. She is staying with her sister; he shares a rented room with another person.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She recently joined him from Mexico after waiting years for her immigration paperwork to be approved. But they haven’t found a place they can afford where they could live together in Half Moon Bay. She is staying with her sister; he shares a rented room with another person.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A family has to be together, not separated,” 67-year-old Rosales said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rosales, who spent nearly 40 years working in agriculture, hopes a proposed affordable housing development at 555 Kelly Ave. in downtown Half Moon Bay will give him and his wife a place to call home. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The project, now four years in the making, was proposed a year before a 2023 mass shooting in the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11941716/we-have-a-moment-here-an-urgent-push-for-farmworker-housing-in-wake-of-half-moon-bay-tragedy\">exposed substandard living conditions on local farms\u003c/a> and intensified calls for improved affordable housing for farmworkers. But it’s since become a lightning rod in city politics.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The project, now four years in the making, was proposed a year before a 2023 mass shooting in the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11941716/we-have-a-moment-here-an-urgent-push-for-farmworker-housing-in-wake-of-half-moon-bay-tragedy\">exposed substandard living conditions on local farms\u003c/a> and intensified calls for improved affordable housing for farmworkers. But it’s since become a lightning rod in city politics.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Opponents have called the five-story, 40-unit building out of character for Half Moon Bay’s quaint downtown and decried impacts to traffic and parking new residents might bring. Supporters, however, say it would help aging farmworkers remain in the community they helped nourish.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Opponents have called the five-story, 40-unit building out of character for Half Moon Bay’s quaint downtown and decried impacts to traffic and parking new residents might bring. Supporters, however, say it would help aging farmworkers remain in the community they helped nourish.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite concerns from some residents, the city council approved the development in May, but opponents quickly rallied to put a referendum on the ballot. Now, voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether it moves forward.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Despite concerns from some residents, the city council approved the development in May, but opponents quickly rallied to put a referendum on the ballot. Now, voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether it moves forward.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105275\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The proposed affordable housing site for senior farmworkers at 555 Kelly Ave. in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105275\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The proposed affordable housing site for senior farmworkers at 555 Kelly Ave. in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Across California, low wages and a shortage of affordable housing leave many farmworkers living in crowded homes or subpar conditions. Between 2015 and 2019, about 38% of the state’s crop workers lived in crowded housing — defined as more than one person sharing a room, according to the most recent U.S. Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Across California, low wages and a shortage of affordable housing leave many farmworkers living in crowded homes or subpar conditions. Between 2015 and 2019, about 38% of the state’s crop workers lived in crowded housing — defined as more than one person sharing a room, according to the most recent U.S. Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For retired farmworkers, the options can be even more limited, said Rob Wiener of the California Coalition for Rural Housing. Decades of low-paid, physically demanding work often leave little money for retirement. Moving in with relatives can mean sharing an already-crowded home, while finding an affordable home elsewhere can mean leaving family and community behind, Wiener said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For retired farmworkers, the options can be even more limited, said Rob Wiener of the California Coalition for Rural Housing. Decades of low-paid, physically demanding work often leave little money for retirement. Moving in with relatives can mean sharing an already-crowded home, while finding an affordable home elsewhere can mean leaving family and community behind, Wiener said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s even more difficult for farmworkers in counties like San Mateo, he said, where the median one-bedroom apartment rents for \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/rental-manager/market-trends/san-mateo-ca/?bedrooms=1\">more than $3,000 per month\u003c/a> and families must earn a minimum salary of \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/marketdata/data/haitraditional\">nearly $580,000\u003c/a> to afford buying a median-priced single-family home. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s even more difficult for farmworkers in counties like San Mateo, he said, where the median one-bedroom apartment rents for \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/rental-manager/market-trends/san-mateo-ca/?bedrooms=1\">more than $3,000 per month\u003c/a> and families must earn a minimum salary of \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/marketdata/data/haitraditional\">nearly $580,000\u003c/a> to afford buying a median-priced single-family home. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Every community, in my view, should have the full life cycle of housing that’s needed,” Wiener said, “from family housing to housing for single adults and for retirees.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Housing built for larger farmworker families may not fit the needs of older adults living alone or as couples, he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, executive director of Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or ALAS, said the proposal for the apartment building on Kelly Avenue grew out of the organization’s work during the pandemic, when staff at the nonprofit found agricultural workers in their 70s and 80s were still working because they could not afford to retire.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, executive director of Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or ALAS, said the proposal for the apartment building on Kelly Avenue grew out of the organization’s work during the pandemic, when staff at the nonprofit found agricultural workers in their 70s and 80s were still working because they could not afford to retire.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The ALAS office in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. ALAS is a nonprofit supporting farmworkers and their families.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105276\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The ALAS office in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. ALAS is a nonprofit supporting farmworkers and their families.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some lived in housing tied to their jobs, meaning retirement could also cost them their homes. Others rented in the community but struggled to keep up with rising housing costs, she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some lived in housing tied to their jobs, meaning retirement could also cost them their homes. Others rented in the community but struggled to keep up with rising housing costs, she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our aging farm workers are telling us they can’t stop working,” Hernandez-Arriaga said. “Because if they stop working, they don’t have income.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If voters approve the proposed apartment building in Half Moon Bay, senior farmworkers who live or work in the city would get first priority, followed by those elsewhere along the coast and in San Mateo County, according to Mercy Housing, which is partnering with ALAS on the project. The nonprofit developer said those preferences are established in its agreements with the city.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If voters approve the proposed apartment building in Half Moon Bay, senior farmworkers who live or work in the city would get first priority, followed by those elsewhere along the coast and in San Mateo County, according to Mercy Housing, which is partnering with ALAS on the project. The nonprofit developer said those preferences are established in its agreements with the city.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Along with apartments, the development would include a community center offering services such as health care and wellness programs. Its downtown location would put residents within walking distance of groceries, medical care, churches and organizations that already serve them, Hernandez-Arriaga said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Along with apartments, the development would include a community center offering services such as health care and wellness programs. Its downtown location would put residents within walking distance of groceries, medical care, churches and organizations that already serve them, Hernandez-Arriaga said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For Rosales, remaining close to services is important because he has never driven a car. He gets around by walking or taking the bus. He has lived in Half Moon Bay for about two decades and said he wants a home near the places he already relies on.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For Rosales, remaining close to services is important because he has never driven a car. He gets around by walking or taking the bus. He has lived in Half Moon Bay for about two decades and said he wants a home near the places he already relies on.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What we like is having everything close at hand,” he said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But opponents question the building’s size — at five stories, it would be the tallest in downtown — as well as its effects on parking and traffic and the city’s obligations under the proposed 99-year lease.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But opponents question the building’s size — at five stories, it would be the tallest in downtown — as well as its effects on parking and traffic and the city’s obligations under the proposed 99-year lease.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rick Hernandez, vice chair of the Half Moon Bay Planning Commission, said he supports more affordable housing but has concerns about this specific development.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It would be the tallest in downtown,” Hernandez said, “and it’s out of character with our community.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said a smaller development would be a better fit for a neighborhood where people already come for the library, church and community center. He also questioned what costs the city could face over the 99-year lease and whether the proposed lease agreement is adequate to ensure local residents get priority for the apartments.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He said a smaller development would be a better fit for a neighborhood where people already come for the library, church and community center. He also questioned what costs the city could face over the 99-year lease and whether the proposed lease agreement is adequate to ensure local residents get priority for the apartments.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hernandez-Arriaga sees the opposition as going beyond the building’s size. She questioned whether the older farmworkers who have been asking for housing for years are welcome downtown.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Why aren’t they good enough to be living downtown?” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Hernandez pushed back on that assertion. He pointed to other affordable housing developments in Half Moon Bay as examples of the city’s support for farmworkers, including a manufactured housing project the city approved soon after the 2023 mass shooting.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But Hernandez pushed back on that assertion. He pointed to other affordable housing developments in Half Moon Bay as examples of the city’s support for farmworkers, including a manufactured housing project the city approved soon after the 2023 mass shooting.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is about striking the right balance,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>ALAS and Mercy Housing jointly proposed the project after the city sought proposals for affordable apartments on the Kelly Avenue property in 2022. It was the only proposal submitted. But it faced opposition from the start.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>ALAS and Mercy Housing jointly proposed the project after the city sought proposals for affordable apartments on the Kelly Avenue property in 2022. It was the only proposal submitted. But it faced opposition from the start.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When the planning commission approved the project’s land-use permits in May 2024, residents appealed. The city council upheld that approval but didn’t sign off on a final lease agreement on the city-owned land until May 2026. Opponents then gathered enough signatures to put that decision before voters, suspending the ordinance until the election.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When the planning commission approved the project’s land-use permits in May 2024, residents appealed. The city council upheld that approval but didn’t sign off on a final lease agreement on the city-owned land until May 2026. Opponents then gathered enough signatures to put that decision before voters, suspending the ordinance until the election.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The vote comes as the city faces pressure from the state over its broader housing obligations. In July, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-newsom-administration-take-legal-action-against-local\">sued Half Moon Bay\u003c/a> for failing to complete zoning changes required to bring its housing plan into compliance with state law, asking a court to require compliance and impose financial penalties.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The vote comes as the city faces pressure from the state over its broader housing obligations. In July, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-newsom-administration-take-legal-action-against-local\">sued Half Moon Bay\u003c/a> for failing to complete zoning changes required to bring its housing plan into compliance with state law, asking a court to require compliance and impose financial penalties.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jeff Regan, campaign organizer for Yes on 555 Kelly Ave., said rejecting the Kelly Avenue project would make it harder for the city to meet state housing goals. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under the city’s description of the lease, Mercy Housing would be responsible for constructing and maintaining the buildings, carrying required insurance and operating resident programs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement, Mercy said about $28 million in public funding has been secured, including more than $6 million recently approved by San Mateo County. The plan anticipates covering the remaining $14 million through tax-credit financing.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a statement, Mercy said about $28 million in public funding has been secured, including more than $6 million recently approved by San Mateo County. The plan anticipates covering the remaining $14 million through tax-credit financing.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rosales has attended several meetings about the development, hoping it will move forward. For now, he visits his wife at her sister’s home, spends time talking with her, then leaves.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He wants to stay in Half Moon Bay but said they are considering returning to Mexico if they cannot find a place to live together. Still, he’s reluctant to leave the city he’s called home for two decades. \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "As older farmworkers struggle to afford housing, Half Moon Bay voters are weighing a proposal supporters say would help them stay in the communities they helped nourish.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After more than a half-century of marriage, Cándido Rosales and his wife are living apart in the same town.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She recently joined him from Mexico after waiting years for her immigration paperwork to be approved. But they haven’t found a place they can afford where they could live together in Half Moon Bay. She is staying with her sister; he shares a rented room with another person.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“A family has to be together, not separated,” 67-year-old Rosales said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rosales, who spent nearly 40 years working in agriculture, hopes a proposed affordable housing development at 555 Kelly Ave. in downtown Half Moon Bay will give him and his wife a place to call home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project, now four years in the making, was proposed a year before a 2023 mass shooting in the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11941716/we-have-a-moment-here-an-urgent-push-for-farmworker-housing-in-wake-of-half-moon-bay-tragedy\">exposed substandard living conditions on local farms\u003c/a> and intensified calls for improved affordable housing for farmworkers. But it’s since become a lightning rod in city politics.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opponents have called the five-story, 40-unit building out of character for Half Moon Bay’s quaint downtown and decried impacts to traffic and parking new residents might bring. Supporters, however, say it would help aging farmworkers remain in the community they helped nourish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite concerns from some residents, the city council approved the development in May, but opponents quickly rallied to put a referendum on the ballot. Now, voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether it moves forward.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105275\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The proposed affordable housing site for senior farmworkers at 555 Kelly Ave. in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across California, low wages and a shortage of affordable housing leave many farmworkers living in crowded homes or subpar conditions. Between 2015 and 2019, about 38% of the state’s crop workers lived in crowded housing — defined as more than one person sharing a room, according to the most recent U.S. Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For retired farmworkers, the options can be even more limited, said Rob Wiener of the California Coalition for Rural Housing. Decades of low-paid, physically demanding work often leave little money for retirement. Moving in with relatives can mean sharing an already-crowded home, while finding an affordable home elsewhere can mean leaving family and community behind, Wiener said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s even more difficult for farmworkers in counties like San Mateo, he said, where the median one-bedroom apartment rents for \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/rental-manager/market-trends/san-mateo-ca/?bedrooms=1\">more than $3,000 per month\u003c/a> and families must earn a minimum salary of \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/marketdata/data/haitraditional\">nearly $580,000\u003c/a> to afford buying a median-priced single-family home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Every community, in my view, should have the full life cycle of housing that’s needed,” Wiener said, “from family housing to housing for single adults and for retirees.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Housing built for larger farmworker families may not fit the needs of older adults living alone or as couples, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, executive director of Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or ALAS, said the proposal for the apartment building on Kelly Avenue grew out of the organization’s work during the pandemic, when staff at the nonprofit found agricultural workers in their 70s and 80s were still working because they could not afford to retire.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The ALAS office in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. ALAS is a nonprofit supporting farmworkers and their families. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some lived in housing tied to their jobs, meaning retirement could also cost them their homes. Others rented in the community but struggled to keep up with rising housing costs, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Our aging farm workers are telling us they can’t stop working,” Hernandez-Arriaga said. “Because if they stop working, they don’t have income.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If voters approve the proposed apartment building in Half Moon Bay, senior farmworkers who live or work in the city would get first priority, followed by those elsewhere along the coast and in San Mateo County, according to Mercy Housing, which is partnering with ALAS on the project. The nonprofit developer said those preferences are established in its agreements with the city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Along with apartments, the development would include a community center offering services such as health care and wellness programs. Its downtown location would put residents within walking distance of groceries, medical care, churches and organizations that already serve them, Hernandez-Arriaga said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Rosales, remaining close to services is important because he has never driven a car. He gets around by walking or taking the bus. He has lived in Half Moon Bay for about two decades and said he wants a home near the places he already relies on.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“What we like is having everything close at hand,” he said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But opponents question the building’s size — at five stories, it would be the tallest in downtown — as well as its effects on parking and traffic and the city’s obligations under the proposed 99-year lease.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rick Hernandez, vice chair of the Half Moon Bay Planning Commission, said he supports more affordable housing but has concerns about this specific development.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It would be the tallest in downtown,” Hernandez said, “and it’s out of character with our community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said a smaller development would be a better fit for a neighborhood where people already come for the library, church and community center. He also questioned what costs the city could face over the 99-year lease and whether the proposed lease agreement is adequate to ensure local residents get priority for the apartments.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hernandez-Arriaga sees the opposition as going beyond the building’s size. She questioned whether the older farmworkers who have been asking for housing for years are welcome downtown.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Why aren’t they good enough to be living downtown?” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Hernandez pushed back on that assertion. He pointed to other affordable housing developments in Half Moon Bay as examples of the city’s support for farmworkers, including a manufactured housing project the city approved soon after the 2023 mass shooting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is about striking the right balance,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ALAS and Mercy Housing jointly proposed the project after the city sought proposals for affordable apartments on the Kelly Avenue property in 2022. It was the only proposal submitted. But it faced opposition from the start.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the planning commission approved the project’s land-use permits in May 2024, residents appealed. The city council upheld that approval but didn’t sign off on a final lease agreement on the city-owned land until May 2026. Opponents then gathered enough signatures to put that decision before voters, suspending the ordinance until the election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The vote comes as the city faces pressure from the state over its broader housing obligations. In July, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-newsom-administration-take-legal-action-against-local\">sued Half Moon Bay\u003c/a> for failing to complete zoning changes required to bring its housing plan into compliance with state law, asking a court to require compliance and impose financial penalties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105277\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “Yes on Q” sign is posted at a local business in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jeff Regan, campaign organizer for Yes on 555 Kelly Ave., said rejecting the Kelly Avenue project would make it harder for the city to meet state housing goals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the city’s description of the lease, Mercy Housing would be responsible for constructing and maintaining the buildings, carrying required insurance and operating resident programs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, Mercy said about $28 million in public funding has been secured, including more than $6 million recently approved by San Mateo County. The plan anticipates covering the remaining $14 million through tax-credit financing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rosales has attended several meetings about the development, hoping it will move forward. For now, he visits his wife at her sister’s home, spends time talking with her, then leaves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He wants to stay in Half Moon Bay but said they are considering returning to Mexico if they cannot find a place to live together. Still, he’s reluctant to leave the city he’s called home for two decades. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’d like to stay here a little longer,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-leaders-mourn-celebrate-dolores-huerta-and-her-legacy",
"title": "California Leaders Mourn, Celebrate Dolores Huerta and Her Legacy",
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"headTitle": "California Leaders Mourn, Celebrate Dolores Huerta and Her Legacy | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California leaders mourned Dolores Huerta, the indefatigable civil rights champion and farmworker advocate, praising her as a hero, giant and legend after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106881/dolores-huerta-influential-labor-leader-feminist-and-civil-rights-icon-dies-at-96\">her death on Wednesday\u003c/a> at age 96. Her family said in a statement that she died from cancer at home in Bakersfield. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta, who co-founded one of the world’s most renowned \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/120851/dolores-huerta-the-civil-rights-icon-who-showed-farmworkers-si-se-puede\">agricultural worker labor movements\u003c/a>, spent most of her life pushing for economic justice and a voice for the dispossessed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even at her advanced age, she continued to participate in marches and protests, and encouraged Latino citizens to vote, including just days ago, said Angelica Salas, who directs the Los Angeles-based nonprofit Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, and called Huerta “a mentor to thousands.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“She felt in her core that injustice had to be fought 24/7,” said Salas, adding that Huerta was a friend who supported her personally and professionally for decades. “The United States of America has lost a hero today.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11998083\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Angelica Salas and other immigrant rights activists rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on July 30, 2024. (Tyche Hendricks/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A fierce labor negotiator in a field dominated by men, Huerta helped lead large strikes and boycotts in the 1960s and 1970s with the union that became the United Farm Workers. Her labor organizing changed state laws and produced some of the nation’s first contracts to secure drinking water, sanitary toilets and other basic rights for thousands of farmworkers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta lobbied for California to become the first state to give agricultural workers the \u003ca href=\"https://www.alrb.ca.gov/forms-publications/faqs-and-guidance/fact-sheet-english/\">legal right to organize\u003c/a> and join unions in 1975, decades after the passage of a federal law that protected collective bargaining for other private-sector employees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“During that period of time, we had so much hope, and our message was out there saying to the world that we’re here and we exist and you can’t ignore us,” Huerta told KQED in 2012. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I really do believe that the only way that we can keep our democracy, the only way that we can get justice is by having people have a sense of their power,” she said. “This is the only way we can really achieve the goals that we need to make sure that we have a society that is equal.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta, who had more than a dozen children, coined the social-justice rallying cry “\u003ca href=\"https://ufw.org/research/history/history-si-se-puede/\">Sí se puede\u003c/a>,” translated as “Yes we can.” Former President Barack Obama, who coalesced millions of voters under the phrase during a historic 2008 presidential campaign, awarded Huerta the \u003ca href=\"https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/29/remarks-president-presidential-medal-freedom-ceremony\">Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012\u003c/a>, praising her determination and courage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Julián Castro, who leads the San Francisco-based Latino Community Foundation, said Huerta was an American icon who changed the course of history for good through her contributions to the labor movement, inspiring young women and men to work for social change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Dolores, for me and I know for a lot of people, has been a role model of how you can dedicate your life to serving others, to making other people’s lives better,” Castro, a former U.S. housing secretary and San Antonio mayor who ran for president in 2020, told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“As heavy as our hearts are today with her passing, I believe that Dolores would want us to embrace her legacy by doing what she did, by organizing, by mobilizing, by helping to make sure that as many people, especially from the Latino community, get out and exercise their right to vote,” he said, adding that he believes Latino voters will participate in record numbers in the upcoming midterm elections on Nov. 3. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1070\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/Dolores-Huerta.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077340\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/Dolores-Huerta.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/Dolores-Huerta-160x111.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Retrato de la activista sindical Dolores Huerta, cofundadora del sindicato United Farm Workers, con una bandera sindical en la que se lee «Viva La Causa», hacia la década de 1970. (Cathy Murphy/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta spoke out against the rampant sexual abuse of farmworker women in the fields in a 2013 \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/rape-in-the-fields/\">film and radio series\u003c/a> that KQED collaborated on with Frontline, CIR, IRP and Univision. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I believe that the employers are in total denial, and they will often take the word of the foreman or the manager against the woman if she does come forward,” Huerta said in the documentary. “And women know this. They know that they’re not going to be heard. They know that nobody’s going to be there to support them or protect them.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She stunned many by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077073/cesar-chavez-was-a-hero-to-farmworkers-now-they-confront-the-pain-of-alleged-abuse\">revealing\u003c/a> at age 95 that she herself was manipulated into sex and raped in the 1960s by the late union leader Cesar Chávez. Huerta came forward in a \u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em> investigation that uncovered disturbing accusations that Chávez sexually abused young girls and women for years. Huerta told the newspaper that she chose not to report the abuse partly because she feared that no one within the union would believe her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-65-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12062675\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-65-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-65-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-65-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi speaks during a press conference after a rally in support of Proposition 50 at IBEW Local 6 in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Today, we sadly mourn the loss of Dolores Huerta, a leader in the American labor movement and a champion for civil rights who led with courage and determination,” Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who hosted Huerta for her 90th birthday in the U.S. Capitol, said in a statement. “Dolores was a dear friend, and we all responded to her rallying cry, ‘Sí se puede,’ which inspired generations of Americans to believe in the power of collective action.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Born Dolores Clara Fernández on April 10, 1930, to Juan Fernández and Alicia Chavez Fernández, in a small mining town in northern New Mexico, Huerta moved with her mother and brothers to Stockton during the Great Depression after her parents divorced. Her mother worked two jobs, bought a boarding house and taught her daughter that she had an obligation to help others — lessons Huerta later said shaped her feminism and commitment to service. Her father was a miner, farmworker and union activist who became a state lawmaker. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta, who acquired her last name through a marriage, said her mother’s independence inspired her to become a feminist. Huerta defied teachers who \u003ca href=\"https://wams.nyhistory.org/growth-and-turmoil/growing-tensions/dolores-huerta/\">questioned her achievements\u003c/a> in school because of her skin color, and men who said she should stay home and take care of children because of her gender.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1564\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106902\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7-160x125.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7-1536x1201.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">American labor activist and co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), Dolores Huerta speaks on stage during a UFW rally, California, 1975 or 1976. She wears a poncho with the UFW logo. (Cathy Murphy/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1962, Huerta and Chávez co-founded the National Farmworkers Association, which would later be known as the United Farm Workers. Huerta, who served as UFW vice president until 1999, became a central strategist for the union, which thrust deplorable farm labor conditions — low pay, lack of toilets and drinking water, exposure to pesticides — into the national spotlight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At about 5 feet tall, Huerta did not shy away from conflict. She was arrested dozens of times by police during protests. At a 1988 rally seeking to curb growers’ use of toxic pesticides, club-wielding San Francisco officers sent the then-58-year-old grandmother to the hospital with \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-16-mn-2389-story.html\">broken ribs and a ruptured spleen\u003c/a>. After public outcry, including from San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos, who visited Huerta at the hospital, the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dolores-huerta-beaten-by-police-protest-san-francisco\">settled for $825,000\u003c/a> over the incident and changed its crowd control policies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Think of yourselves as the gardeners who are going to go out and sow the seeds of justice,” Huerta \u003ca href=\"https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Notable-Alumni/Dolores-Huerta#:~:text=She%20was%20active%20in%20numerous,earning%20a%20provisional%20teaching%20credential.\">told\u003c/a> hundreds of people at San Joaquin Delta College in 2018, where she earned a provisional teaching credential as a young high school graduate, when the college was known as University of the Pacific’s Stockton College. “And those seeds are going to flower, and the spring is going to come back. But we know we have to go out there and do all the work.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106175\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a rally alongside California Democratic Party members, labor leaders and advocates in San Francisco on Oct. 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered flags flown at half-staff in honor of Huerta. The governor and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said the \u003ca href=\"https://archive.gov.ca.gov/archive/gov39/2013/01/23/news17905/index.html\">California Hall of Fame member\u003c/a> “fought for gender equity, workers’ rights and civil rights, paving the way for generations to come, and teaching people what was possible with determination and heart.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Dolores represented the best of us,” they said in a statement. “California — and the United States — would not be what we are today without her resolute spirit, her passion for justice and fairness, and her commitment to those overlooked and forgotten.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Erik Olvera, a spokesperson for Huerta’s family, said they plan to announce a public memorial in the coming days. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/sasha-khokha\">\u003cem>Sasha Khokha\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta, who co-founded one of the world’s most renowned \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/120851/dolores-huerta-the-civil-rights-icon-who-showed-farmworkers-si-se-puede\">agricultural worker labor movements\u003c/a>, spent most of her life pushing for economic justice and a voice for the dispossessed. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even at her advanced age, she continued to participate in marches and protests, and encouraged Latino citizens to vote, including just days ago, said Angelica Salas, who directs the Los Angeles-based nonprofit Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, and called Huerta “a mentor to thousands.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“She felt in her core that injustice had to be fought 24/7,” said Salas, adding that Huerta was a friend who supported her personally and professionally for decades. “The United States of America has lost a hero today.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11998083\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Angelica Salas and other immigrant rights activists rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on July 30, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tyche Hendricks/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A fierce labor negotiator in a field dominated by men, Huerta helped lead large strikes and boycotts in the 1960s and 1970s with the union that became the United Farm Workers. Her labor organizing changed state laws and produced some of the nation’s first contracts to secure drinking water, sanitary toilets and other basic rights for thousands of farmworkers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta lobbied for California to become the first state to give agricultural workers the \u003ca href=\"https://www.alrb.ca.gov/forms-publications/faqs-and-guidance/fact-sheet-english/\">legal right to organize\u003c/a> and join unions in 1975, decades after the passage of a federal law that protected collective bargaining for other private-sector employees.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“During that period of time, we had so much hope, and our message was out there saying to the world that we’re here and we exist and you can’t ignore us,” Huerta told KQED in 2012. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I really do believe that the only way that we can keep our democracy, the only way that we can get justice is by having people have a sense of their power,” she said. “This is the only way we can really achieve the goals that we need to make sure that we have a society that is equal.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta, who had more than a dozen children, coined the social-justice rallying cry “\u003ca href=\"https://ufw.org/research/history/history-si-se-puede/\">Sí se puede\u003c/a>,” translated as “Yes we can.” Former President Barack Obama, who coalesced millions of voters under the phrase during a historic 2008 presidential campaign, awarded Huerta the \u003ca href=\"https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/29/remarks-president-presidential-medal-freedom-ceremony\">Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012\u003c/a>, praising her determination and courage. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Julián Castro, who leads the San Francisco-based Latino Community Foundation, said Huerta was an American icon who changed the course of history for good through her contributions to the labor movement, inspiring young women and men to work for social change.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Julián Castro, who leads the San Francisco-based Latino Community Foundation, said Huerta was an American icon who changed the course of history for good through her contributions to the labor movement, inspiring young women and men to work for social change.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Dolores, for me and I know for a lot of people, has been a role model of how you can dedicate your life to serving others, to making other people’s lives better,” Castro, a former U.S. housing secretary and San Antonio mayor who ran for president in 2020, told KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Dolores, for me and I know for a lot of people, has been a role model of how you can dedicate your life to serving others, to making other people’s lives better,” Castro, a former U.S. housing secretary and San Antonio mayor who ran for president in 2020, told KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“As heavy as our hearts are today with her passing, I believe that Dolores would want us to embrace her legacy by doing what she did, by organizing, by mobilizing, by helping to make sure that as many people, especially from the Latino community, get out and exercise their right to vote,” he said, adding that he believes Latino voters will participate in record numbers in the upcoming midterm elections on Nov. 3. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“As heavy as our hearts are today with her passing, I believe that Dolores would want us to embrace her legacy by doing what she did, by organizing, by mobilizing, by helping to make sure that as many people, especially from the Latino community, get out and exercise their right to vote,” he said, adding that he believes Latino voters will participate in record numbers in the upcoming midterm elections on Nov. 3. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta spoke out against the rampant sexual abuse of farmworker women in the fields in a 2013 \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/rape-in-the-fields/\">film and radio series\u003c/a> that KQED collaborated on with Frontline, CIR, IRP and Univision. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I believe that the employers are in total denial, and they will often take the word of the foreman or the manager against the woman if she does come forward,” Huerta said in the documentary. “And women know this. They know that they’re not going to be heard. They know that nobody’s going to be there to support them or protect them.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She stunned many by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077073/cesar-chavez-was-a-hero-to-farmworkers-now-they-confront-the-pain-of-alleged-abuse\">revealing\u003c/a> at age 95 that she herself was manipulated into sex and raped in the 1960s by the late union leader Cesar Chávez. Huerta came forward in a \u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em> investigation that uncovered disturbing accusations that Chávez sexually abused young girls and women for years. Huerta told the newspaper that she chose not to report the abuse partly because she feared that no one within the union would believe her. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Today, we sadly mourn the loss of Dolores Huerta, a leader in the American labor movement and a champion for civil rights who led with courage and determination,” Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who hosted Huerta for her 90th birthday in the U.S. Capitol, said in a statement. “Dolores was a dear friend, and we all responded to her rallying cry, ‘Sí se puede,’ which inspired generations of Americans to believe in the power of collective action.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Today, we sadly mourn the loss of Dolores Huerta, a leader in the American labor movement and a champion for civil rights who led with courage and determination,” Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who hosted Huerta for her 90th birthday in the U.S. Capitol, said in a statement. “Dolores was a dear friend, and we all responded to her rallying cry, ‘Sí se puede,’ which inspired generations of Americans to believe in the power of collective action.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Born Dolores Clara Fernández on April 10, 1930, to Juan Fernández and Alicia Chavez Fernández, in a small mining town in northern New Mexico, Huerta moved with her mother and brothers to Stockton during the Great Depression after her parents divorced. Her mother worked two jobs, bought a boarding house and taught her daughter that she had an obligation to help others — lessons Huerta later said shaped her feminism and commitment to service. Her father was a miner, farmworker and union activist who became a state lawmaker. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Born Dolores Clara Fernández on April 10, 1930, to Juan Fernández and Alicia Chavez Fernández, in a small mining town in northern New Mexico, Huerta moved with her mother and brothers to Stockton during the Great Depression after her parents divorced. Her mother worked two jobs, bought a boarding house and taught her daughter that she had an obligation to help others — lessons Huerta later said shaped her feminism and commitment to service. Her father was a miner, farmworker and union activist who became a state lawmaker. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta, who acquired her last name through a marriage, said her mother’s independence inspired her to become a feminist. Huerta defied teachers who \u003ca href=\"https://wams.nyhistory.org/growth-and-turmoil/growing-tensions/dolores-huerta/\">questioned her achievements\u003c/a> in school because of her skin color, and men who said she should stay home and take care of children because of her gender.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Huerta, who acquired her last name through a marriage, said her mother’s independence inspired her to become a feminist. Huerta defied teachers who \u003ca href=\"https://wams.nyhistory.org/growth-and-turmoil/growing-tensions/dolores-huerta/\">questioned her achievements\u003c/a> in school because of her skin color, and men who said she should stay home and take care of children because of her gender.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106902\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7-160x125.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7-1536x1201.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">American labor activist and co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), Dolores Huerta speaks on stage during a UFW rally, California, 1975 or 1976. She wears a poncho with the UFW logo.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Cathy Murphy/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106902\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">American labor activist and co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), Dolores Huerta speaks on stage during a UFW rally, California, 1975 or 1976. She wears a poncho with the UFW logo.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Cathy Murphy/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 1962, Huerta and Chávez co-founded the National Farmworkers Association, which would later be known as the United Farm Workers. Huerta, who served as UFW vice president until 1999, became a central strategist for the union, which thrust deplorable farm labor conditions — low pay, lack of toilets and drinking water, exposure to pesticides — into the national spotlight. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In 1962, Huerta and Chávez co-founded the National Farmworkers Association, which would later be known as the United Farm Workers. Huerta, who served as UFW vice president until 1999, became a central strategist for the union, which thrust deplorable farm labor conditions — low pay, lack of toilets and drinking water, exposure to pesticides — into the national spotlight. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At about 5 feet tall, Huerta did not shy away from conflict. She was arrested dozens of times by police during protests. At a 1988 rally seeking to curb growers’ use of toxic pesticides, club-wielding San Francisco officers sent the then-58-year-old grandmother to the hospital with \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-16-mn-2389-story.html\">broken ribs and a ruptured spleen\u003c/a>. After public outcry, including from San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos, who visited Huerta at the hospital, the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dolores-huerta-beaten-by-police-protest-san-francisco\">settled for $825,000\u003c/a> over the incident and changed its crowd control policies. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At about 5 feet tall, Huerta did not shy away from conflict. She was arrested dozens of times by police during protests. At a 1988 rally seeking to curb growers’ use of toxic pesticides, club-wielding San Francisco officers sent the then-58-year-old grandmother to the hospital with \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-16-mn-2389-story.html\">broken ribs and a ruptured spleen\u003c/a>. After public outcry, including from San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos, who visited Huerta at the hospital, the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dolores-huerta-beaten-by-police-protest-san-francisco\">settled for $825,000\u003c/a> over the incident and changed its crowd control policies. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Think of yourselves as the gardeners who are going to go out and sow the seeds of justice,” Huerta \u003ca href=\"https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Notable-Alumni/Dolores-Huerta#:~:text=She%20was%20active%20in%20numerous,earning%20a%20provisional%20teaching%20credential.\">told\u003c/a> hundreds of people at San Joaquin Delta College in 2018, where she earned a provisional teaching credential as a young high school graduate, when the college was known as University of the Pacific’s Stockton College. “And those seeds are going to flower, and the spring is going to come back. But we know we have to go out there and do all the work.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Think of yourselves as the gardeners who are going to go out and sow the seeds of justice,” Huerta \u003ca href=\"https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Notable-Alumni/Dolores-Huerta#:~:text=She%20was%20active%20in%20numerous,earning%20a%20provisional%20teaching%20credential.\">told\u003c/a> hundreds of people at San Joaquin Delta College in 2018, where she earned a provisional teaching credential as a young high school graduate, when the college was known as University of the Pacific’s Stockton College. “And those seeds are going to flower, and the spring is going to come back. But we know we have to go out there and do all the work.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106175\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a rally alongside California Democratic Party members, labor leaders and advocates in San Francisco on Oct. 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered flags flown at half-staff in honor of Huerta. The governor and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said the \u003ca href=\"https://archive.gov.ca.gov/archive/gov39/2013/01/23/news17905/index.html\">California Hall of Fame member\u003c/a> “fought for gender equity, workers’ rights and civil rights, paving the way for generations to come, and teaching people what was possible with determination and heart.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered flags flown at half-staff in honor of Huerta. The governor and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said the \u003ca href=\"https://archive.gov.ca.gov/archive/gov39/2013/01/23/news17905/index.html\">California Hall of Fame member\u003c/a> “fought for gender equity, workers’ rights and civil rights, paving the way for generations to come, and teaching people what was possible with determination and heart.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Dolores represented the best of us,” they said in a statement. “California — and the United States — would not be what we are today without her resolute spirit, her passion for justice and fairness, and her commitment to those overlooked and forgotten.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Dolores represented the best of us,” they said in a statement. “California — and the United States — would not be what we are today without her resolute spirit, her passion for justice and fairness, and her commitment to those overlooked and forgotten.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Erik Olvera, a spokesperson for Huerta’s family, said they plan to announce a public memorial in the coming days. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Erik Olvera, a spokesperson for Huerta’s family, said they plan to announce a public memorial in the coming days. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/sasha-khokha\">\u003cem>Sasha Khokha\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Elected officials and civil rights leaders hailed the farmworker activist, who died at age 96, as a hero, giant and legend.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California leaders mourned Dolores Huerta, the indefatigable civil rights champion and farmworker advocate, praising her as a hero, giant and legend after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106881/dolores-huerta-influential-labor-leader-feminist-and-civil-rights-icon-dies-at-96\">her death on Wednesday\u003c/a> at age 96. Her family said in a statement that she died from cancer at home in Bakersfield. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta, who co-founded one of the world’s most renowned \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/120851/dolores-huerta-the-civil-rights-icon-who-showed-farmworkers-si-se-puede\">agricultural worker labor movements\u003c/a>, spent most of her life pushing for economic justice and a voice for the dispossessed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even at her advanced age, she continued to participate in marches and protests, and encouraged Latino citizens to vote, including just days ago, said Angelica Salas, who directs the Los Angeles-based nonprofit Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, and called Huerta “a mentor to thousands.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“She felt in her core that injustice had to be fought 24/7,” said Salas, adding that Huerta was a friend who supported her personally and professionally for decades. “The United States of America has lost a hero today.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11998083\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240730-CITIZENSHIP-FOR-ALL-TH-05-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Angelica Salas and other immigrant rights activists rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on July 30, 2024. (Tyche Hendricks/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A fierce labor negotiator in a field dominated by men, Huerta helped lead large strikes and boycotts in the 1960s and 1970s with the union that became the United Farm Workers. Her labor organizing changed state laws and produced some of the nation’s first contracts to secure drinking water, sanitary toilets and other basic rights for thousands of farmworkers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta lobbied for California to become the first state to give agricultural workers the \u003ca href=\"https://www.alrb.ca.gov/forms-publications/faqs-and-guidance/fact-sheet-english/\">legal right to organize\u003c/a> and join unions in 1975, decades after the passage of a federal law that protected collective bargaining for other private-sector employees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“During that period of time, we had so much hope, and our message was out there saying to the world that we’re here and we exist and you can’t ignore us,” Huerta told KQED in 2012. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I really do believe that the only way that we can keep our democracy, the only way that we can get justice is by having people have a sense of their power,” she said. “This is the only way we can really achieve the goals that we need to make sure that we have a society that is equal.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta, who had more than a dozen children, coined the social-justice rallying cry “\u003ca href=\"https://ufw.org/research/history/history-si-se-puede/\">Sí se puede\u003c/a>,” translated as “Yes we can.” Former President Barack Obama, who coalesced millions of voters under the phrase during a historic 2008 presidential campaign, awarded Huerta the \u003ca href=\"https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/29/remarks-president-presidential-medal-freedom-ceremony\">Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012\u003c/a>, praising her determination and courage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Julián Castro, who leads the San Francisco-based Latino Community Foundation, said Huerta was an American icon who changed the course of history for good through her contributions to the labor movement, inspiring young women and men to work for social change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Dolores, for me and I know for a lot of people, has been a role model of how you can dedicate your life to serving others, to making other people’s lives better,” Castro, a former U.S. housing secretary and San Antonio mayor who ran for president in 2020, told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“As heavy as our hearts are today with her passing, I believe that Dolores would want us to embrace her legacy by doing what she did, by organizing, by mobilizing, by helping to make sure that as many people, especially from the Latino community, get out and exercise their right to vote,” he said, adding that he believes Latino voters will participate in record numbers in the upcoming midterm elections on Nov. 3. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1070\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/Dolores-Huerta.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077340\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/Dolores-Huerta.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/Dolores-Huerta-160x111.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Retrato de la activista sindical Dolores Huerta, cofundadora del sindicato United Farm Workers, con una bandera sindical en la que se lee «Viva La Causa», hacia la década de 1970. (Cathy Murphy/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta spoke out against the rampant sexual abuse of farmworker women in the fields in a 2013 \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/rape-in-the-fields/\">film and radio series\u003c/a> that KQED collaborated on with Frontline, CIR, IRP and Univision. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I believe that the employers are in total denial, and they will often take the word of the foreman or the manager against the woman if she does come forward,” Huerta said in the documentary. “And women know this. They know that they’re not going to be heard. They know that nobody’s going to be there to support them or protect them.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She stunned many by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077073/cesar-chavez-was-a-hero-to-farmworkers-now-they-confront-the-pain-of-alleged-abuse\">revealing\u003c/a> at age 95 that she herself was manipulated into sex and raped in the 1960s by the late union leader Cesar Chávez. Huerta came forward in a \u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em> investigation that uncovered disturbing accusations that Chávez sexually abused young girls and women for years. Huerta told the newspaper that she chose not to report the abuse partly because she feared that no one within the union would believe her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-65-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12062675\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-65-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-65-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-65-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi speaks during a press conference after a rally in support of Proposition 50 at IBEW Local 6 in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Today, we sadly mourn the loss of Dolores Huerta, a leader in the American labor movement and a champion for civil rights who led with courage and determination,” Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who hosted Huerta for her 90th birthday in the U.S. Capitol, said in a statement. “Dolores was a dear friend, and we all responded to her rallying cry, ‘Sí se puede,’ which inspired generations of Americans to believe in the power of collective action.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Born Dolores Clara Fernández on April 10, 1930, to Juan Fernández and Alicia Chavez Fernández, in a small mining town in northern New Mexico, Huerta moved with her mother and brothers to Stockton during the Great Depression after her parents divorced. Her mother worked two jobs, bought a boarding house and taught her daughter that she had an obligation to help others — lessons Huerta later said shaped her feminism and commitment to service. Her father was a miner, farmworker and union activist who became a state lawmaker. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta, who acquired her last name through a marriage, said her mother’s independence inspired her to become a feminist. Huerta defied teachers who \u003ca href=\"https://wams.nyhistory.org/growth-and-turmoil/growing-tensions/dolores-huerta/\">questioned her achievements\u003c/a> in school because of her skin color, and men who said she should stay home and take care of children because of her gender.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1564\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106902\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7-160x125.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7-1536x1201.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">American labor activist and co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), Dolores Huerta speaks on stage during a UFW rally, California, 1975 or 1976. She wears a poncho with the UFW logo. (Cathy Murphy/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1962, Huerta and Chávez co-founded the National Farmworkers Association, which would later be known as the United Farm Workers. Huerta, who served as UFW vice president until 1999, became a central strategist for the union, which thrust deplorable farm labor conditions — low pay, lack of toilets and drinking water, exposure to pesticides — into the national spotlight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At about 5 feet tall, Huerta did not shy away from conflict. She was arrested dozens of times by police during protests. At a 1988 rally seeking to curb growers’ use of toxic pesticides, club-wielding San Francisco officers sent the then-58-year-old grandmother to the hospital with \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-16-mn-2389-story.html\">broken ribs and a ruptured spleen\u003c/a>. After public outcry, including from San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos, who visited Huerta at the hospital, the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dolores-huerta-beaten-by-police-protest-san-francisco\">settled for $825,000\u003c/a> over the incident and changed its crowd control policies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Think of yourselves as the gardeners who are going to go out and sow the seeds of justice,” Huerta \u003ca href=\"https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Notable-Alumni/Dolores-Huerta#:~:text=She%20was%20active%20in%20numerous,earning%20a%20provisional%20teaching%20credential.\">told\u003c/a> hundreds of people at San Joaquin Delta College in 2018, where she earned a provisional teaching credential as a young high school graduate, when the college was known as University of the Pacific’s Stockton College. “And those seeds are going to flower, and the spring is going to come back. But we know we have to go out there and do all the work.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106175\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a rally alongside California Democratic Party members, labor leaders and advocates in San Francisco on Oct. 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered flags flown at half-staff in honor of Huerta. The governor and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said the \u003ca href=\"https://archive.gov.ca.gov/archive/gov39/2013/01/23/news17905/index.html\">California Hall of Fame member\u003c/a> “fought for gender equity, workers’ rights and civil rights, paving the way for generations to come, and teaching people what was possible with determination and heart.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Dolores represented the best of us,” they said in a statement. “California — and the United States — would not be what we are today without her resolute spirit, her passion for justice and fairness, and her commitment to those overlooked and forgotten.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Erik Olvera, a spokesperson for Huerta’s family, said they plan to announce a public memorial in the coming days. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/sasha-khokha\">\u003cem>Sasha Khokha\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "dolores-huerta-influential-labor-leader-feminist-and-civil-rights-icon-dies-at-96",
"title": "Dolores Huerta, Influential Labor Leader, Feminist and Civil Rights Icon, Dies at 96",
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"headTitle": "Dolores Huerta, Influential Labor Leader, Feminist and Civil Rights Icon, Dies at 96 | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12054312/dolores-huerta-on-the-state-of-workers-rights-in-california\">Dolores Huerta\u003c/a>, who co-founded the United Farm Workers union to improve working conditions in the nation’s fruit and vegetable fields and coined the phrase “Sí, se puede!” that became a widespread rallying cry, has died. She was 96.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta’s family said in a statement through her foundation that she died Wednesday at home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She kept a busy schedule well into her 90s, marching in protests and speaking in cities across the country about race, poverty, LGBTQ+ and women’s rights on behalf of her Bakersfield, California-based foundation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta’s resolve cemented her place in history as one of the nation’s most influential labor leaders, civil rights icons and feminist activists. Her three-word Spanish-language slogan — which translates to “Yes, it can be done” — was grounded in the belief that people could effect change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta told KQED’s \u003cem>The California Report\u003c/em> in 2025, when the Trump administration ramped up immigration enforcement in California — hitting agricultural communities like Bakersfield first, she noted — that farm workers still had “an awful lot of pride” for the work they do. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1393\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/DoloresHuertaHistoricPortraitGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12044395\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/DoloresHuertaHistoricPortraitGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/DoloresHuertaHistoricPortraitGetty-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/DoloresHuertaHistoricPortraitGetty-1536x1070.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Portrait of labor activist Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers group, with a union flag that reads “Viva La Causa,” ca.1970s. (Cathy Murphy/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This whole perception that the employers themselves have put out there that somehow a farm worker is below someone’s level of competence or someone’s level of pride that they have kind of created that mentality,” Huerta said then. “Unfortunately that still sits there.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her work over the decades earned her a number of accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. When then-President Barack Obama presented the award in 2012, he praised Huerta as a tenacious leader and joked that he had stolen her slogan for his 2008 campaign.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year, Huerta sent shockwaves through the Latino community when she revealed that she was sexually abused in the 1960s by the farmworker movement’s co-founder, César Chavez, leading to the birth of two children, a secret she kept for 60 years and long after he died.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From the early 1970s on, Huerta’s life partner was Richard Chavez, César’s brother, and together they had four kids. She also had seven children from two earlier marriages.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta said she had kept silent for so long because she feared that coming forward would compromise her life’s work and unravel all the progress made for workers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When asked during a 2026 interview with the news organization Latino USA about keeping the secret, Huerta said: “It was my personal pain, it was my personal problem and, you know, I think it was worth it because it was my cross to bear. I’ll say it that way.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Homegrown activism\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta was born Dolores Clara Fernandez in 1930 in Dawson, New Mexico. Her father was a miner and union activist who went on to win a seat in the state Legislature. Her parents divorced when she was 3, and her mother took her and her brothers to California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Immersed in a melting pot of Mexican, Filipino, African American, Japanese and Chinese working families, Huerta learned from her mother — who owned a restaurant and hotel — about independence, compassion and activism.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta was a young, energetic elementary school teacher in the farm-rich San Joaquin Valley when she decided to answer another calling after growing frustrated by her students’ poor living conditions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I couldn’t stand seeing kids come to class hungry and needing shoes,” she said in a 2017 PBS Independent Lens documentary on her life. “I thought I could do more by organizing farmworkers than by trying to teach their hungry children.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta’s early work with a civil rights group in Stockton resulted in her meeting Chavez. The two wanted to focus more on the plight of farmworkers, so in 1962 they started the National Farm Workers Association, which became United Farm Workers of America a few years later. She was a key leader and negotiator for the union for years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She was among those who joined Filipino grape pickers on the picket line in what became the five-year “Delano Grape Strike.” With Chavez, she negotiated collective bargaining agreements and contracts with big growers, winning the first health and benefit plans for farmworkers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chavez, who died in 1993, once described her as fearless, committed to the cause and tough when it came to negotiations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">On the campaign trail\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She met U.S. Sen. Robert Kennedy of Massachusetts during his visit to Delano in 1968 and became a volunteer on his presidential campaign, registering Mexican Americans in California to vote. Huerta was on stage with Kennedy after he won the California primary, and he publicly thanked her moments before he was shot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The assassination devastated Huerta, but she kept organizing for farmworkers’ rights.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta was jailed 22 times for union demonstrating. In 1988, she was seriously injured while protesting Republican presidential candidate George H.W. Bush’s opposition to the UFW grape boycott during his visit to San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1564\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106902\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7-160x125.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7-1536x1201.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">American labor activist and co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) Dolores Huerta speaks on stage during a UFW rally in California, circa 1975 or 1976. (Cathy Murphy/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Caught in a crowd, she was struck by a police officer’s baton, suffered three broken ribs and a pulverized spleen, and required more than a dozen blood transfusions. She reached a settlement with the city to resolve her claims.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After a long recovery, Huerta shifted focus and hit the road to campaign for women’s rights and encourage Latinas to run for office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She also campaigned for Democratic Presidents Bill Clinton, Obama and Joe Biden. California Gov. Gavin Newsom considered her a close friend.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fueled by courage\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Emilio Huerta, one of Dolores’ 13 children, once pointed to his mom’s courage during an interview, saying it was one of the most significant drivers of her life’s work.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“To dedicate your life to building a dream of a union for farmworkers, to take on agriculture, which to this day is still a powerhouse … That took a lot of guts,” he had said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta learned the art of lobbying politicians. She secured financial aid for the unemployed and disability insurance for California farmworkers. She spoke out against toxic pesticides, pushed for amnesty for immigrants in the country illegally and fought federal guest worker programs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty2-a3693d7e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106906\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty2-a3693d7e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty2-a3693d7e-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty2-a3693d7e-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A close-up shows the hands of Dolores Huerta, 95, co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) labor union, with bracelets reading “huelga” (“strike”) and “si se puede” (“yes we can”) as she poses in her office in Bakersfield, California, on July 21, 2025. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By directing nationwide boycotts of grapes and lettuce in the early 1970s, she helped to create the economic pressure and political climate necessary for California to pass what would be the first state law recognizing farmworkers’ right to collective bargaining.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her work earned her many accolades. She was the first Latina to be inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and she’s received nine honorary doctorates from U.S. universities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schools are named in her honor in a handful of states, including California. San Francisco Unified School District renamed an elementary school in her honor back in 2019.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her image graces many murals, and streets bear her name, but she didn’t always win favor with more liberal activists.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2016, when she endorsed Hillary Clinton instead of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the presidential Democratic primary, actor Rosario Dawson — a Sanders supporter who played Huerta in a 2014 movie about César Chavez — said Huerta had become “an instrument of the establishment.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dawson and Huerta eventually reconciled.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guitarist Carlos Santana later oversaw a documentary based on Huerta’s life after the pair had a late-night conversation about music while in Hawaii. Santana, a Miles Davis fan, discovered Huerta was a huge fan of bebop legend Charlie Parker.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I even met Charlie Parker. That’s my claim to fame,” Huerta joked during an interview with \u003cem>The Associated Press\u003c/em> when she was 87.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was her work as a leader within the labor movement that reverberated through the U.S. and beyond, making her name synonymous with civil rights. In the 2025 documentary \u003cem>Seeds of Change: The Life and Legacy of Dolores Huerta\u003c/em>, she recounted her decades-long journey in activism and talked about the inspiration she drew from the women’s movement during the 1970s, saying it provided validation that she too could stand on the stage with other labor leaders.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I hope that my legacy will be one of an organizer that organized to fight injustice,” she said in the film. “We want to give our children an inheritance of justice, right, not jewels or property or money because they’ll just fight over it. So the main thing to do is to give them this love for justice — and that is the greatest gift I think that any of us can have.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/skennedy\">\u003cem>Samantha Kennedy\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>and Associated Press journalist Brian Melley contributed to this report. Former AP journalist Russell Contreras also contributed reporting previously for this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She kept a busy schedule well into her 90s, marching in protests and speaking in cities across the country about race, poverty, LGBTQ+ and women’s rights on behalf of her Bakersfield, California-based foundation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta’s resolve cemented her place in history as one of the nation’s most influential labor leaders, civil rights icons and feminist activists. Her three-word Spanish-language slogan — which translates to “Yes, it can be done” — was grounded in the belief that people could effect change.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Huerta’s resolve cemented her place in history as one of the nation’s most influential labor leaders, civil rights icons and feminist activists. Her three-word Spanish-language slogan — which translates to “Yes, it can be done” — was grounded in the belief that people could effect change.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta told KQED’s \u003cem>The California Report\u003c/em> in 2025, when the Trump administration ramped up immigration enforcement in California — hitting agricultural communities like Bakersfield first, she noted — that farm workers still had “an awful lot of pride” for the work they do. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/DoloresHuertaHistoricPortraitGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12044395\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/DoloresHuertaHistoricPortraitGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/DoloresHuertaHistoricPortraitGetty-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/DoloresHuertaHistoricPortraitGetty-1536x1070.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Portrait of labor activist Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers group, with a union flag that reads “Viva La Causa,” ca.1970s. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Cathy Murphy/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This whole perception that the employers themselves have put out there that somehow a farm worker is below someone’s level of competence or someone’s level of pride that they have kind of created that mentality,” Huerta said then. “Unfortunately that still sits there.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This whole perception that the employers themselves have put out there that somehow a farm worker is below someone’s level of competence or someone’s level of pride that they have kind of created that mentality,” Huerta said then. “Unfortunately that still sits there.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Her work over the decades earned her a number of accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. When then-President Barack Obama presented the award in 2012, he praised Huerta as a tenacious leader and joked that he had stolen her slogan for his 2008 campaign.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year, Huerta sent shockwaves through the Latino community when she revealed that she was sexually abused in the 1960s by the farmworker movement’s co-founder, César Chavez, leading to the birth of two children, a secret she kept for 60 years and long after he died.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>From the early 1970s on, Huerta’s life partner was Richard Chavez, César’s brother, and together they had four kids. She also had seven children from two earlier marriages.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta said she had kept silent for so long because she feared that coming forward would compromise her life’s work and unravel all the progress made for workers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When asked during a 2026 interview with the news organization Latino USA about keeping the secret, Huerta said: “It was my personal pain, it was my personal problem and, you know, I think it was worth it because it was my cross to bear. I’ll say it that way.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When asked during a 2026 interview with the news organization Latino USA about keeping the secret, Huerta said: “It was my personal pain, it was my personal problem and, you know, I think it was worth it because it was my cross to bear. I’ll say it that way.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta was born Dolores Clara Fernandez in 1930 in Dawson, New Mexico. Her father was a miner and union activist who went on to win a seat in the state Legislature. Her parents divorced when she was 3, and her mother took her and her brothers to California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Huerta was born Dolores Clara Fernandez in 1930 in Dawson, New Mexico. Her father was a miner and union activist who went on to win a seat in the state Legislature. Her parents divorced when she was 3, and her mother took her and her brothers to California.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Immersed in a melting pot of Mexican, Filipino, African American, Japanese and Chinese working families, Huerta learned from her mother — who owned a restaurant and hotel — about independence, compassion and activism.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Immersed in a melting pot of Mexican, Filipino, African American, Japanese and Chinese working families, Huerta learned from her mother — who owned a restaurant and hotel — about independence, compassion and activism.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta was a young, energetic elementary school teacher in the farm-rich San Joaquin Valley when she decided to answer another calling after growing frustrated by her students’ poor living conditions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I couldn’t stand seeing kids come to class hungry and needing shoes,” she said in a 2017 PBS Independent Lens documentary on her life. “I thought I could do more by organizing farmworkers than by trying to teach their hungry children.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta’s early work with a civil rights group in Stockton resulted in her meeting Chavez. The two wanted to focus more on the plight of farmworkers, so in 1962 they started the National Farm Workers Association, which became United Farm Workers of America a few years later. She was a key leader and negotiator for the union for years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Huerta’s early work with a civil rights group in Stockton resulted in her meeting Chavez. The two wanted to focus more on the plight of farmworkers, so in 1962 they started the National Farm Workers Association, which became United Farm Workers of America a few years later. She was a key leader and negotiator for the union for years.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She was among those who joined Filipino grape pickers on the picket line in what became the five-year “Delano Grape Strike.” With Chavez, she negotiated collective bargaining agreements and contracts with big growers, winning the first health and benefit plans for farmworkers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She was among those who joined Filipino grape pickers on the picket line in what became the five-year “Delano Grape Strike.” With Chavez, she negotiated collective bargaining agreements and contracts with big growers, winning the first health and benefit plans for farmworkers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chavez, who died in 1993, once described her as fearless, committed to the cause and tough when it came to negotiations.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She met U.S. Sen. Robert Kennedy of Massachusetts during his visit to Delano in 1968 and became a volunteer on his presidential campaign, registering Mexican Americans in California to vote. Huerta was on stage with Kennedy after he won the California primary, and he publicly thanked her moments before he was shot.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She met U.S. Sen. Robert Kennedy of Massachusetts during his visit to Delano in 1968 and became a volunteer on his presidential campaign, registering Mexican Americans in California to vote. Huerta was on stage with Kennedy after he won the California primary, and he publicly thanked her moments before he was shot.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The assassination devastated Huerta, but she kept organizing for farmworkers’ rights.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta was jailed 22 times for union demonstrating. In 1988, she was seriously injured while protesting Republican presidential candidate George H.W. Bush’s opposition to the UFW grape boycott during his visit to San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Huerta was jailed 22 times for union demonstrating. In 1988, she was seriously injured while protesting Republican presidential candidate George H.W. Bush’s opposition to the UFW grape boycott during his visit to San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106902\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7-160x125.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7-1536x1201.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">American labor activist and co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) Dolores Huerta speaks on stage during a UFW rally in California, circa 1975 or 1976. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Cathy Murphy/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Caught in a crowd, she was struck by a police officer’s baton, suffered three broken ribs and a pulverized spleen, and required more than a dozen blood transfusions. She reached a settlement with the city to resolve her claims.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Caught in a crowd, she was struck by a police officer’s baton, suffered three broken ribs and a pulverized spleen, and required more than a dozen blood transfusions. She reached a settlement with the city to resolve her claims.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After a long recovery, Huerta shifted focus and hit the road to campaign for women’s rights and encourage Latinas to run for office.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“To dedicate your life to building a dream of a union for farmworkers, to take on agriculture, which to this day is still a powerhouse … That took a lot of guts,” he had said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Huerta learned the art of lobbying politicians. She secured financial aid for the unemployed and disability insurance for California farmworkers. She spoke out against toxic pesticides, pushed for amnesty for immigrants in the country illegally and fought federal guest worker programs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty2-a3693d7e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106906\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A close-up shows the hands of Dolores Huerta, 95, co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) labor union, with bracelets reading “huelga” (“strike”) and “si se puede” (“yes we can”) as she poses in her office in Bakersfield, California, on July 21, 2025. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>By directing nationwide boycotts of grapes and lettuce in the early 1970s, she helped to create the economic pressure and political climate necessary for California to pass what would be the first state law recognizing farmworkers’ right to collective bargaining.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Her work earned her many accolades. She was the first Latina to be inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and she’s received nine honorary doctorates from U.S. universities.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Schools are named in her honor in a handful of states, including California. San Francisco Unified School District renamed an elementary school in her honor back in 2019.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Her image graces many murals, and streets bear her name, but she didn’t always win favor with more liberal activists.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2016, when she endorsed Hillary Clinton instead of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the presidential Democratic primary, actor Rosario Dawson — a Sanders supporter who played Huerta in a 2014 movie about César Chavez — said Huerta had become “an instrument of the establishment.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Guitarist Carlos Santana later oversaw a documentary based on Huerta’s life after the pair had a late-night conversation about music while in Hawaii. Santana, a Miles Davis fan, discovered Huerta was a huge fan of bebop legend Charlie Parker.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I even met Charlie Parker. That’s my claim to fame,” Huerta joked during an interview with \u003cem>The Associated Press\u003c/em> when she was 87.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I even met Charlie Parker. That’s my claim to fame,” Huerta joked during an interview with \u003cem>The Associated Press\u003c/em> when she was 87.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It was her work as a leader within the labor movement that reverberated through the U.S. and beyond, making her name synonymous with civil rights. In the 2025 documentary \u003cem>Seeds of Change: The Life and Legacy of Dolores Huerta\u003c/em>, she recounted her decades-long journey in activism and talked about the inspiration she drew from the women’s movement during the 1970s, saying it provided validation that she too could stand on the stage with other labor leaders.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It was her work as a leader within the labor movement that reverberated through the U.S. and beyond, making her name synonymous with civil rights. In the 2025 documentary \u003cem>Seeds of Change: The Life and Legacy of Dolores Huerta\u003c/em>, she recounted her decades-long journey in activism and talked about the inspiration she drew from the women’s movement during the 1970s, saying it provided validation that she too could stand on the stage with other labor leaders.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I hope that my legacy will be one of an organizer that organized to fight injustice,” she said in the film. “We want to give our children an inheritance of justice, right, not jewels or property or money because they’ll just fight over it. So the main thing to do is to give them this love for justice — and that is the greatest gift I think that any of us can have.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I hope that my legacy will be one of an organizer that organized to fight injustice,” she said in the film. “We want to give our children an inheritance of justice, right, not jewels or property or money because they’ll just fight over it. So the main thing to do is to give them this love for justice — and that is the greatest gift I think that any of us can have.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/skennedy\">\u003cem>Samantha Kennedy\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>and Associated Press journalist Brian Melley contributed to this report. Former AP journalist Russell Contreras also contributed reporting previously for this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/skennedy\">\u003cem>Samantha Kennedy\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>and Associated Press journalist Brian Melley contributed to this report. Former AP journalist Russell Contreras also contributed reporting previously for this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Huerta founded the farmworkers union with Cesar Chavez, which led strikes and boycotts in the ’60s and ’70s, changing laws and the lives of thousands of migrant laborers.",
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"title": "Dolores Huerta, Influential Labor Leader, Feminist and Civil Rights Icon, Dies at 96 | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12054312/dolores-huerta-on-the-state-of-workers-rights-in-california\">Dolores Huerta\u003c/a>, who co-founded the United Farm Workers union to improve working conditions in the nation’s fruit and vegetable fields and coined the phrase “Sí, se puede!” that became a widespread rallying cry, has died. She was 96.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta’s family said in a statement through her foundation that she died Wednesday at home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She kept a busy schedule well into her 90s, marching in protests and speaking in cities across the country about race, poverty, LGBTQ+ and women’s rights on behalf of her Bakersfield, California-based foundation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta’s resolve cemented her place in history as one of the nation’s most influential labor leaders, civil rights icons and feminist activists. Her three-word Spanish-language slogan — which translates to “Yes, it can be done” — was grounded in the belief that people could effect change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta told KQED’s \u003cem>The California Report\u003c/em> in 2025, when the Trump administration ramped up immigration enforcement in California — hitting agricultural communities like Bakersfield first, she noted — that farm workers still had “an awful lot of pride” for the work they do. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1393\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/DoloresHuertaHistoricPortraitGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12044395\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/DoloresHuertaHistoricPortraitGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/DoloresHuertaHistoricPortraitGetty-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/DoloresHuertaHistoricPortraitGetty-1536x1070.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Portrait of labor activist Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers group, with a union flag that reads “Viva La Causa,” ca.1970s. (Cathy Murphy/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This whole perception that the employers themselves have put out there that somehow a farm worker is below someone’s level of competence or someone’s level of pride that they have kind of created that mentality,” Huerta said then. “Unfortunately that still sits there.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her work over the decades earned her a number of accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. When then-President Barack Obama presented the award in 2012, he praised Huerta as a tenacious leader and joked that he had stolen her slogan for his 2008 campaign.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year, Huerta sent shockwaves through the Latino community when she revealed that she was sexually abused in the 1960s by the farmworker movement’s co-founder, César Chavez, leading to the birth of two children, a secret she kept for 60 years and long after he died.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From the early 1970s on, Huerta’s life partner was Richard Chavez, César’s brother, and together they had four kids. She also had seven children from two earlier marriages.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta said she had kept silent for so long because she feared that coming forward would compromise her life’s work and unravel all the progress made for workers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When asked during a 2026 interview with the news organization Latino USA about keeping the secret, Huerta said: “It was my personal pain, it was my personal problem and, you know, I think it was worth it because it was my cross to bear. I’ll say it that way.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Homegrown activism\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta was born Dolores Clara Fernandez in 1930 in Dawson, New Mexico. Her father was a miner and union activist who went on to win a seat in the state Legislature. Her parents divorced when she was 3, and her mother took her and her brothers to California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Immersed in a melting pot of Mexican, Filipino, African American, Japanese and Chinese working families, Huerta learned from her mother — who owned a restaurant and hotel — about independence, compassion and activism.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta was a young, energetic elementary school teacher in the farm-rich San Joaquin Valley when she decided to answer another calling after growing frustrated by her students’ poor living conditions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I couldn’t stand seeing kids come to class hungry and needing shoes,” she said in a 2017 PBS Independent Lens documentary on her life. “I thought I could do more by organizing farmworkers than by trying to teach their hungry children.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta’s early work with a civil rights group in Stockton resulted in her meeting Chavez. The two wanted to focus more on the plight of farmworkers, so in 1962 they started the National Farm Workers Association, which became United Farm Workers of America a few years later. She was a key leader and negotiator for the union for years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She was among those who joined Filipino grape pickers on the picket line in what became the five-year “Delano Grape Strike.” With Chavez, she negotiated collective bargaining agreements and contracts with big growers, winning the first health and benefit plans for farmworkers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chavez, who died in 1993, once described her as fearless, committed to the cause and tough when it came to negotiations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">On the campaign trail\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She met U.S. Sen. Robert Kennedy of Massachusetts during his visit to Delano in 1968 and became a volunteer on his presidential campaign, registering Mexican Americans in California to vote. Huerta was on stage with Kennedy after he won the California primary, and he publicly thanked her moments before he was shot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The assassination devastated Huerta, but she kept organizing for farmworkers’ rights.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta was jailed 22 times for union demonstrating. In 1988, she was seriously injured while protesting Republican presidential candidate George H.W. Bush’s opposition to the UFW grape boycott during his visit to San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1564\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106902\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7-160x125.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty-f533bcc7-1536x1201.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">American labor activist and co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) Dolores Huerta speaks on stage during a UFW rally in California, circa 1975 or 1976. (Cathy Murphy/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Caught in a crowd, she was struck by a police officer’s baton, suffered three broken ribs and a pulverized spleen, and required more than a dozen blood transfusions. She reached a settlement with the city to resolve her claims.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After a long recovery, Huerta shifted focus and hit the road to campaign for women’s rights and encourage Latinas to run for office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She also campaigned for Democratic Presidents Bill Clinton, Obama and Joe Biden. California Gov. Gavin Newsom considered her a close friend.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fueled by courage\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Emilio Huerta, one of Dolores’ 13 children, once pointed to his mom’s courage during an interview, saying it was one of the most significant drivers of her life’s work.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“To dedicate your life to building a dream of a union for farmworkers, to take on agriculture, which to this day is still a powerhouse … That took a lot of guts,” he had said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Huerta learned the art of lobbying politicians. She secured financial aid for the unemployed and disability insurance for California farmworkers. She spoke out against toxic pesticides, pushed for amnesty for immigrants in the country illegally and fought federal guest worker programs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty2-a3693d7e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106906\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty2-a3693d7e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty2-a3693d7e-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DoloresHuertaGetty2-a3693d7e-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A close-up shows the hands of Dolores Huerta, 95, co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) labor union, with bracelets reading “huelga” (“strike”) and “si se puede” (“yes we can”) as she poses in her office in Bakersfield, California, on July 21, 2025. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By directing nationwide boycotts of grapes and lettuce in the early 1970s, she helped to create the economic pressure and political climate necessary for California to pass what would be the first state law recognizing farmworkers’ right to collective bargaining.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her work earned her many accolades. She was the first Latina to be inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and she’s received nine honorary doctorates from U.S. universities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schools are named in her honor in a handful of states, including California. San Francisco Unified School District renamed an elementary school in her honor back in 2019.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her image graces many murals, and streets bear her name, but she didn’t always win favor with more liberal activists.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2016, when she endorsed Hillary Clinton instead of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the presidential Democratic primary, actor Rosario Dawson — a Sanders supporter who played Huerta in a 2014 movie about César Chavez — said Huerta had become “an instrument of the establishment.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dawson and Huerta eventually reconciled.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guitarist Carlos Santana later oversaw a documentary based on Huerta’s life after the pair had a late-night conversation about music while in Hawaii. Santana, a Miles Davis fan, discovered Huerta was a huge fan of bebop legend Charlie Parker.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I even met Charlie Parker. That’s my claim to fame,” Huerta joked during an interview with \u003cem>The Associated Press\u003c/em> when she was 87.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was her work as a leader within the labor movement that reverberated through the U.S. and beyond, making her name synonymous with civil rights. In the 2025 documentary \u003cem>Seeds of Change: The Life and Legacy of Dolores Huerta\u003c/em>, she recounted her decades-long journey in activism and talked about the inspiration she drew from the women’s movement during the 1970s, saying it provided validation that she too could stand on the stage with other labor leaders.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I hope that my legacy will be one of an organizer that organized to fight injustice,” she said in the film. “We want to give our children an inheritance of justice, right, not jewels or property or money because they’ll just fight over it. So the main thing to do is to give them this love for justice — and that is the greatest gift I think that any of us can have.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/skennedy\">\u003cem>Samantha Kennedy\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>and Associated Press journalist Brian Melley contributed to this report. Former AP journalist Russell Contreras also contributed reporting previously for this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "state-court-interpreters-go-on-strike-in-oakland-over-pay",
"title": "State Court Interpreters Go on Strike in Oakland Over Pay",
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"headTitle": "State Court Interpreters Go on Strike in Oakland Over Pay | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State court interpreters in Oakland are walking off their jobs on Wednesday, the latest half-day \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/workers-strike\">strike\u003c/a> to protest what they call stagnating wages and too-slow contract talks with administrators, as the system struggles to give people who speak little to no English \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/3656/interpreters-finally-coming-to-californias-civil-courts-2\">equal access to justice\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interpreter employees at state courts earn lower salaries than interpreters in federal courts or private contractors, which contributes to persistent job vacancies, said Mary Lou Aranguren, bargaining spokesperson for the California Alliance of Legal Interpreters. Court officials have responded to interpreter shortages by going over budget to contract often costlier private services in recent years to meet language needs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They are not bargaining in good faith when they are throwing money at contractors, and then they tell us at the table, ‘Well, we don’t have the budget for paying you more.’ That just doesn’t make sense,” said Aranguren, a Spanish court interpreter in Alameda County with 30 years of experience. “Employees make a commitment. We’re available, we work all the time, and we’re making a lot less money.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The union, which represents 91 court staffers working in Spanish, Cantonese, Hindi and other languages in coastal Northern California counties, has \u003ca href=\"http://google.com/search?q=kqed+court+interpreter+strike&rlz=1C1GCHA_enUS1179US1179&oq=kqed+court+interpreter+strike+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyCQgAEEUYORifBTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigATIHCAYQIRiPAjIHCAcQIRiPAtIBCDY0MTdqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&source=chrome.ob&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on\">accused the employer\u003c/a> of engaging in unfair labor practices by favoring contractors with higher pay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20250319_AlamedaCourthouse_GC-15_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098299\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20250319_AlamedaCourthouse_GC-15_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20250319_AlamedaCourthouse_GC-15_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20250319_AlamedaCourthouse_GC-15_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland on March 19, 2025. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Local court interpreters on staff earn about $86,000 to $105,000 per year, not including retirement, medical and other benefits, according to a 2025 report by the Judicial Council of California, which administers state courts. The union is pushing to gradually raise interpreters’ salary range to $128,000-$150,000, which Aranguren said would near pay in federal courts and help fill dozens of vacant positions in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alicia Vojnik, a state courts bargaining representative, said they remain committed to negotiating a fair agreement with interpreters. Contractor rates and employee salaries “cannot be compared directly” without considering the additional benefits employees receive or the assignment frequency for contractors, said Vojnik, administrative chair for Region 2 courts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The Region has proposed and continues to propose that the parties enter mediation to assist in resolving the significant difference between their respective wage proposals, as well as other outstanding issues,” said Vojnik, chief operating officer at Superior Court in Santa Clara County. “Every court in the Region is committed to maintaining essential operations and language services.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She added that Alameda County Superior Court will remain open during the strike. The labor action on Wednesday at the Wiley W. Manuel and René C. Davidson courthouses, which is set to involve some of the nearly two dozen interpreters in the county, is the second by the union this month. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut.jpg\" alt=\"An engraving outside of the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland.\" class=\"wp-image-11647421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-520x293.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An engraving outside of the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland. (Adam Grossberg/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Oct. 16, San Francisco court interpreters were also on strike as the Judicial Council met in the city and decided to corral rising spending on private contractors by standardizing rates statewide to levels that don’t exceed those in the federal court system. Court officials said that contractors were often able to negotiate higher pay, with courts competing against each other for the same pool of interpreters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since 2023, courts have exceeded their funds for interpreter services due to growing contractor costs, with $19 million in overspending last year. The state increased the budget for interpreter services by $20 million this year, bringing the total available to pay employees and contractors to $155 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">David Slayton, court executive officer for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, said that higher pay for contractors disincentivizes interpreters from staying as employees with the courts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Sometimes [we see] those same interpreters that were employees come back two weeks later, paying them more, for the services they were providing as employees,” said Slayton, adding that Los Angeles County has more than 120 interpreter job vacancies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When contract work pays more than court employment, it becomes harder to recruit and keep employees, and we fill the gap with contractors at a premium.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California state courts, the nation’s largest court system, are required to provide interpreter services to plaintiffs, witnesses and other users with limited English proficiency in criminal and civil cases. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While demand for language services has increased, staffing shortages have left vulnerable people without understanding legal procedures that are critical to their freedom, family or livelihood.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An 18-year-old immigrant who only speaks Mixteco, a major indigenous language in Mexico, received a traffic ticket but was unable to get assistance at court with communication, Francisca Camarillo, with the Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project, told the Judicial Council at a recent meeting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After the teen contacted the organization for help, he discovered that there was already a warrant for his arrest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The incident is one of many across the state in which limited English speakers faced barriers to the courts, according to \u003ca href=\"https://crla.org/sites/default/files/2026-10/Written%20Comments%20to%20Judicial%20Council,%20October%2016,%202026%201_0.pdf\">a letter this month\u003c/a> by dozens of community organizations that asked the Judicial Council to review its language access program. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“While case records might make it appear that he is noncompliant for missing court, the reality is that no one provided language support,” Camarillo said. “A young adult seeking a better future was denied a fair chance to present his case simply because of a language barrier. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>State court interpreters in Oakland are walking off their jobs on Wednesday, the latest half-day \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/workers-strike\">strike\u003c/a> to protest what they call stagnating wages and too-slow contract talks with administrators, as the system struggles to give people who speak little to no English \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/3656/interpreters-finally-coming-to-californias-civil-courts-2\">equal access to justice\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Interpreter employees at state courts earn lower salaries than interpreters in federal courts or private contractors, which contributes to persistent job vacancies, said Mary Lou Aranguren, bargaining spokesperson for the California Alliance of Legal Interpreters. Court officials have responded to interpreter shortages by going over budget to contract often costlier private services in recent years to meet language needs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Interpreter employees at state courts earn lower salaries than interpreters in federal courts or private contractors, which contributes to persistent job vacancies, said Mary Lou Aranguren, bargaining spokesperson for the California Alliance of Legal Interpreters. Court officials have responded to interpreter shortages by going over budget to contract often costlier private services in recent years to meet language needs.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They are not bargaining in good faith when they are throwing money at contractors, and then they tell us at the table, ‘Well, we don’t have the budget for paying you more.’ That just doesn’t make sense,” said Aranguren, a Spanish court interpreter in Alameda County with 30 years of experience. “Employees make a commitment. We’re available, we work all the time, and we’re making a lot less money.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They are not bargaining in good faith when they are throwing money at contractors, and then they tell us at the table, ‘Well, we don’t have the budget for paying you more.’ That just doesn’t make sense,” said Aranguren, a Spanish court interpreter in Alameda County with 30 years of experience. “Employees make a commitment. We’re available, we work all the time, and we’re making a lot less money.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The union, which represents 91 court staffers working in Spanish, Cantonese, Hindi and other languages in coastal Northern California counties, has \u003ca href=\"http://google.com/search?q=kqed+court+interpreter+strike&rlz=1C1GCHA_enUS1179US1179&oq=kqed+court+interpreter+strike+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyCQgAEEUYORifBTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigATIHCAYQIRiPAjIHCAcQIRiPAtIBCDY0MTdqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&source=chrome.ob&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on\">accused the employer\u003c/a> of engaging in unfair labor practices by favoring contractors with higher pay.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The union, which represents 91 court staffers working in Spanish, Cantonese, Hindi and other languages in coastal Northern California counties, has \u003ca href=\"http://google.com/search?q=kqed+court+interpreter+strike&rlz=1C1GCHA_enUS1179US1179&oq=kqed+court+interpreter+strike+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyCQgAEEUYORifBTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigATIHCAYQIRiPAjIHCAcQIRiPAtIBCDY0MTdqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&source=chrome.ob&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on\">accused the employer\u003c/a> of engaging in unfair labor practices by favoring contractors with higher pay.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20250319_AlamedaCourthouse_GC-15_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098299\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20250319_AlamedaCourthouse_GC-15_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20250319_AlamedaCourthouse_GC-15_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20250319_AlamedaCourthouse_GC-15_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland on March 19, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20250319_AlamedaCourthouse_GC-15_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098299\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland on March 19, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Local court interpreters on staff earn about $86,000 to $105,000 per year, not including retirement, medical and other benefits, according to a 2025 report by the Judicial Council of California, which administers state courts. The union is pushing to gradually raise interpreters’ salary range to $128,000-$150,000, which Aranguren said would near pay in federal courts and help fill dozens of vacant positions in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Local court interpreters on staff earn about $86,000 to $105,000 per year, not including retirement, medical and other benefits, according to a 2025 report by the Judicial Council of California, which administers state courts. The union is pushing to gradually raise interpreters’ salary range to $128,000-$150,000, which Aranguren said would near pay in federal courts and help fill dozens of vacant positions in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alicia Vojnik, a state courts bargaining representative, said they remain committed to negotiating a fair agreement with interpreters. Contractor rates and employee salaries “cannot be compared directly” without considering the additional benefits employees receive or the assignment frequency for contractors, said Vojnik, administrative chair for Region 2 courts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Alicia Vojnik, a state courts bargaining representative, said they remain committed to negotiating a fair agreement with interpreters. Contractor rates and employee salaries “cannot be compared directly” without considering the additional benefits employees receive or the assignment frequency for contractors, said Vojnik, administrative chair for Region 2 courts.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The Region has proposed and continues to propose that the parties enter mediation to assist in resolving the significant difference between their respective wage proposals, as well as other outstanding issues,” said Vojnik, chief operating officer at Superior Court in Santa Clara County. “Every court in the Region is committed to maintaining essential operations and language services.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She added that Alameda County Superior Court will remain open during the strike. The labor action on Wednesday at the Wiley W. Manuel and René C. Davidson courthouses, which is set to involve some of the nearly two dozen interpreters in the county, is the second by the union this month. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Oct. 16, San Francisco court interpreters were also on strike as the Judicial Council met in the city and decided to corral rising spending on private contractors by standardizing rates statewide to levels that don’t exceed those in the federal court system. Court officials said that contractors were often able to negotiate higher pay, with courts competing against each other for the same pool of interpreters.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Oct. 16, San Francisco court interpreters were also on strike as the Judicial Council met in the city and decided to corral rising spending on private contractors by standardizing rates statewide to levels that don’t exceed those in the federal court system. Court officials said that contractors were often able to negotiate higher pay, with courts competing against each other for the same pool of interpreters.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since 2023, courts have exceeded their funds for interpreter services due to growing contractor costs, with $19 million in overspending last year. The state increased the budget for interpreter services by $20 million this year, bringing the total available to pay employees and contractors to $155 million.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Since 2023, courts have exceeded their funds for interpreter services due to growing contractor costs, with $19 million in overspending last year. The state increased the budget for interpreter services by $20 million this year, bringing the total available to pay employees and contractors to $155 million.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>David Slayton, court executive officer for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, said that higher pay for contractors disincentivizes interpreters from staying as employees with the courts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Sometimes [we see] those same interpreters that were employees come back two weeks later, paying them more, for the services they were providing as employees,” said Slayton, adding that Los Angeles County has more than 120 interpreter job vacancies. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California state courts, the nation’s largest court system, are required to provide interpreter services to plaintiffs, witnesses and other users with limited English proficiency in criminal and civil cases. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While demand for language services has increased, staffing shortages have left vulnerable people without understanding legal procedures that are critical to their freedom, family or livelihood.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>An 18-year-old immigrant who only speaks Mixteco, a major indigenous language in Mexico, received a traffic ticket but was unable to get assistance at court with communication, Francisca Camarillo, with the Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project, told the Judicial Council at a recent meeting.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>An 18-year-old immigrant who only speaks Mixteco, a major indigenous language in Mexico, received a traffic ticket but was unable to get assistance at court with communication, Francisca Camarillo, with the Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project, told the Judicial Council at a recent meeting.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The incident is one of many across the state in which limited English speakers faced barriers to the courts, according to \u003ca href=\"https://crla.org/sites/default/files/2026-10/Written%20Comments%20to%20Judicial%20Council,%20October%2016,%202026%201_0.pdf\">a letter this month\u003c/a> by dozens of community organizations that asked the Judicial Council to review its language access program. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“While case records might make it appear that he is noncompliant for missing court, the reality is that no one provided language support,” Camarillo said. “A young adult seeking a better future was denied a fair chance to present his case simply because of a language barrier. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Interpreter employees say they earn less than contractors or interpreters in federal court, which leads to unfilled job vacancies in a system struggling to meet language demands.",
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"title": "State Court Interpreters Go on Strike in Oakland Over Pay | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State court interpreters in Oakland are walking off their jobs on Wednesday, the latest half-day \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/workers-strike\">strike\u003c/a> to protest what they call stagnating wages and too-slow contract talks with administrators, as the system struggles to give people who speak little to no English \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/3656/interpreters-finally-coming-to-californias-civil-courts-2\">equal access to justice\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interpreter employees at state courts earn lower salaries than interpreters in federal courts or private contractors, which contributes to persistent job vacancies, said Mary Lou Aranguren, bargaining spokesperson for the California Alliance of Legal Interpreters. Court officials have responded to interpreter shortages by going over budget to contract often costlier private services in recent years to meet language needs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They are not bargaining in good faith when they are throwing money at contractors, and then they tell us at the table, ‘Well, we don’t have the budget for paying you more.’ That just doesn’t make sense,” said Aranguren, a Spanish court interpreter in Alameda County with 30 years of experience. “Employees make a commitment. We’re available, we work all the time, and we’re making a lot less money.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The union, which represents 91 court staffers working in Spanish, Cantonese, Hindi and other languages in coastal Northern California counties, has \u003ca href=\"http://google.com/search?q=kqed+court+interpreter+strike&rlz=1C1GCHA_enUS1179US1179&oq=kqed+court+interpreter+strike+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyCQgAEEUYORifBTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigATIHCAYQIRiPAjIHCAcQIRiPAtIBCDY0MTdqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&source=chrome.ob&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on\">accused the employer\u003c/a> of engaging in unfair labor practices by favoring contractors with higher pay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20250319_AlamedaCourthouse_GC-15_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098299\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20250319_AlamedaCourthouse_GC-15_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20250319_AlamedaCourthouse_GC-15_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20250319_AlamedaCourthouse_GC-15_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland on March 19, 2025. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Local court interpreters on staff earn about $86,000 to $105,000 per year, not including retirement, medical and other benefits, according to a 2025 report by the Judicial Council of California, which administers state courts. The union is pushing to gradually raise interpreters’ salary range to $128,000-$150,000, which Aranguren said would near pay in federal courts and help fill dozens of vacant positions in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alicia Vojnik, a state courts bargaining representative, said they remain committed to negotiating a fair agreement with interpreters. Contractor rates and employee salaries “cannot be compared directly” without considering the additional benefits employees receive or the assignment frequency for contractors, said Vojnik, administrative chair for Region 2 courts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The Region has proposed and continues to propose that the parties enter mediation to assist in resolving the significant difference between their respective wage proposals, as well as other outstanding issues,” said Vojnik, chief operating officer at Superior Court in Santa Clara County. “Every court in the Region is committed to maintaining essential operations and language services.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She added that Alameda County Superior Court will remain open during the strike. The labor action on Wednesday at the Wiley W. Manuel and René C. Davidson courthouses, which is set to involve some of the nearly two dozen interpreters in the county, is the second by the union this month. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut.jpg\" alt=\"An engraving outside of the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland.\" class=\"wp-image-11647421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/RS24075_courthouse-sign-cameo-qut-520x293.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An engraving outside of the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland. (Adam Grossberg/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Oct. 16, San Francisco court interpreters were also on strike as the Judicial Council met in the city and decided to corral rising spending on private contractors by standardizing rates statewide to levels that don’t exceed those in the federal court system. Court officials said that contractors were often able to negotiate higher pay, with courts competing against each other for the same pool of interpreters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since 2023, courts have exceeded their funds for interpreter services due to growing contractor costs, with $19 million in overspending last year. The state increased the budget for interpreter services by $20 million this year, bringing the total available to pay employees and contractors to $155 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">David Slayton, court executive officer for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, said that higher pay for contractors disincentivizes interpreters from staying as employees with the courts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Sometimes [we see] those same interpreters that were employees come back two weeks later, paying them more, for the services they were providing as employees,” said Slayton, adding that Los Angeles County has more than 120 interpreter job vacancies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When contract work pays more than court employment, it becomes harder to recruit and keep employees, and we fill the gap with contractors at a premium.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California state courts, the nation’s largest court system, are required to provide interpreter services to plaintiffs, witnesses and other users with limited English proficiency in criminal and civil cases. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While demand for language services has increased, staffing shortages have left vulnerable people without understanding legal procedures that are critical to their freedom, family or livelihood.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An 18-year-old immigrant who only speaks Mixteco, a major indigenous language in Mexico, received a traffic ticket but was unable to get assistance at court with communication, Francisca Camarillo, with the Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project, told the Judicial Council at a recent meeting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After the teen contacted the organization for help, he discovered that there was already a warrant for his arrest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The incident is one of many across the state in which limited English speakers faced barriers to the courts, according to \u003ca href=\"https://crla.org/sites/default/files/2026-10/Written%20Comments%20to%20Judicial%20Council,%20October%2016,%202026%201_0.pdf\">a letter this month\u003c/a> by dozens of community organizations that asked the Judicial Council to review its language access program. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“While case records might make it appear that he is noncompliant for missing court, the reality is that no one provided language support,” Camarillo said. “A young adult seeking a better future was denied a fair chance to present his case simply because of a language barrier. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Hundreds of Nurses Strike at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Over Wages, Staffing",
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"headTitle": "Hundreds of Nurses Strike at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Over Wages, Staffing | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hundreds of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/north-bay\">North Bay\u003c/a> nurses are in the middle of a two-day strike at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, claiming the hospital has negotiated in bad faith and engaged in unfair labor practices. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nurses walked off the job starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday, after several rounds of unsuccessful contract negotiations between the hospital’s bargaining team and the union, the Staff Nurses Association. The strike is scheduled to last until 5 p.m. Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking from the picket line, nurse and SNA Union President Peter Brackner said the mood was jubilant. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s on fire here,” he said Tuesday morning. “It was just packed, and nurses are excited to be supporting each other. So there’s a lot of energy here today. Lots of signs, lots of food.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1318\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-4-KQED-efcb0b09.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106765\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-4-KQED-efcb0b09.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-4-KQED-efcb0b09-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-4-KQED-efcb0b09-1536x1012.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nurses represented by the Staff Nurses Association (SNA) participate in a two-day strike, demanding breaks and competitive pay, at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital in Santa Rosa on Oct. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The hospital is the only designated Level II Trauma Center serving the North Coast region, providing 24-hour care for critical, life-threatening injuries and emergencies to Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, Napa and Marin counties. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brackner said its nurses deserve compensation and breaks that reflect their value. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Our nurses are being paid about 10% less than the nurses at Sutter and way below nurses in Kaiser. We’re looking at 24 hours or more of less PTO a year. We just tell [administrators] we’re not less than these other hospitals. Our nurses actually take care of very high-acuity patients,” Brackner said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Negotiations, which the union has characterized as difficult, began in early August. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The hospital has only proposed takeaways for nurses at this point,” Brackner said. “They actually told us in our last negotiation that they’re not making money or haven’t made money in the last six years. So the nurses had to help right this ship … to help them be profitable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The union is also protesting management proposals that would eliminate the 401(a) employer retirement contribution, reduce paid time off and prioritize nonunion travel nurses over SNA nurses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The union also criticized the hospital for failing to fund dedicated break-relief nurses, leaving on-duty staff unable to step away. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“That’s a patient safety issue too,” Brackner said. “You want rested nurses, and you want someone to be able to cover those breaks, taking care of patients.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement on its website, the hospital said it was disappointed the union was choosing to strike instead of engage, and that wage discussions were in the “very early stages.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The hospital said it is well-prepared for the strike and that there should be no impact on patients. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-3-KQED-f5661e90.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106764\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-3-KQED-f5661e90.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-3-KQED-f5661e90-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-3-KQED-f5661e90-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nurses represented by Staff Nurses Association (SNA) participate in a two-day strike, demanding breaks and competitive pay, at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital in Santa Rosa on Oct. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The hospital will maintain daily operations and has contracted well-qualified nurses to temporarily replace represented nurses who choose to strike,” administrators wrote online. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“At Santa Rosa Memorial, we firmly believe that strikes don’t settle contracts; they delay them and keep caregivers from getting the pay and benefits enhancements they deserve. The hospital bargaining team looks forward to returning to the bargaining table after the strike ends.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The SNA’s last contract with the hospital, originally signed in September 2023, expired on Sept. 30, 2026.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nurses walked off the job starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday, after several rounds of unsuccessful contract negotiations between the hospital’s bargaining team and the union, the Staff Nurses Association. The strike is scheduled to last until 5 p.m. Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Speaking from the picket line, nurse and SNA Union President Peter Brackner said the mood was jubilant. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s on fire here,” he said Tuesday morning. “It was just packed, and nurses are excited to be supporting each other. So there’s a lot of energy here today. Lots of signs, lots of food.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our nurses are being paid about 10% less than the nurses at Sutter and way below nurses in Kaiser. We’re looking at 24 hours or more of less PTO a year. We just tell [administrators] we’re not less than these other hospitals. Our nurses actually take care of very high-acuity patients,” Brackner said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Negotiations, which the union has characterized as difficult, began in early August. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The hospital has only proposed takeaways for nurses at this point,” Brackner said. “They actually told us in our last negotiation that they’re not making money or haven’t made money in the last six years. So the nurses had to help right this ship … to help them be profitable.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The union is also protesting management proposals that would eliminate the 401(a) employer retirement contribution, reduce paid time off and prioritize nonunion travel nurses over SNA nurses. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That’s a patient safety issue too,” Brackner said. “You want rested nurses, and you want someone to be able to cover those breaks, taking care of patients.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-3-KQED-f5661e90.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106764\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-3-KQED-f5661e90.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-3-KQED-f5661e90-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-3-KQED-f5661e90-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nurses represented by Staff Nurses Association (SNA) participate in a two-day strike, demanding breaks and competitive pay, at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital in Santa Rosa on Oct. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The hospital will maintain daily operations and has contracted well-qualified nurses to temporarily replace represented nurses who choose to strike,” administrators wrote online. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“At Santa Rosa Memorial, we firmly believe that strikes don’t settle contracts; they delay them and keep caregivers from getting the pay and benefits enhancements they deserve. The hospital bargaining team looks forward to returning to the bargaining table after the strike ends.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The SNA’s last contract with the hospital, originally signed in September 2023, expired on Sept. 30, 2026.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Nurses began a 48-hour strike outside Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital on Tuesday, demanding break coverage and competitive pay as contract talks remain stalled.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hundreds of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/north-bay\">North Bay\u003c/a> nurses are in the middle of a two-day strike at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, claiming the hospital has negotiated in bad faith and engaged in unfair labor practices. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nurses walked off the job starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday, after several rounds of unsuccessful contract negotiations between the hospital’s bargaining team and the union, the Staff Nurses Association. The strike is scheduled to last until 5 p.m. Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking from the picket line, nurse and SNA Union President Peter Brackner said the mood was jubilant. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s on fire here,” he said Tuesday morning. “It was just packed, and nurses are excited to be supporting each other. So there’s a lot of energy here today. Lots of signs, lots of food.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1318\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-4-KQED-efcb0b09.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106765\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-4-KQED-efcb0b09.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-4-KQED-efcb0b09-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-4-KQED-efcb0b09-1536x1012.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nurses represented by the Staff Nurses Association (SNA) participate in a two-day strike, demanding breaks and competitive pay, at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital in Santa Rosa on Oct. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The hospital is the only designated Level II Trauma Center serving the North Coast region, providing 24-hour care for critical, life-threatening injuries and emergencies to Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, Napa and Marin counties. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brackner said its nurses deserve compensation and breaks that reflect their value. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Our nurses are being paid about 10% less than the nurses at Sutter and way below nurses in Kaiser. We’re looking at 24 hours or more of less PTO a year. We just tell [administrators] we’re not less than these other hospitals. Our nurses actually take care of very high-acuity patients,” Brackner said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Negotiations, which the union has characterized as difficult, began in early August. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The hospital has only proposed takeaways for nurses at this point,” Brackner said. “They actually told us in our last negotiation that they’re not making money or haven’t made money in the last six years. So the nurses had to help right this ship … to help them be profitable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The union is also protesting management proposals that would eliminate the 401(a) employer retirement contribution, reduce paid time off and prioritize nonunion travel nurses over SNA nurses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The union also criticized the hospital for failing to fund dedicated break-relief nurses, leaving on-duty staff unable to step away. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“That’s a patient safety issue too,” Brackner said. “You want rested nurses, and you want someone to be able to cover those breaks, taking care of patients.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement on its website, the hospital said it was disappointed the union was choosing to strike instead of engage, and that wage discussions were in the “very early stages.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The hospital said it is well-prepared for the strike and that there should be no impact on patients. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-3-KQED-f5661e90.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106764\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-3-KQED-f5661e90.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-3-KQED-f5661e90-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261027_HospitalLabor_GC-3-KQED-f5661e90-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nurses represented by Staff Nurses Association (SNA) participate in a two-day strike, demanding breaks and competitive pay, at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital in Santa Rosa on Oct. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The hospital will maintain daily operations and has contracted well-qualified nurses to temporarily replace represented nurses who choose to strike,” administrators wrote online. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“At Santa Rosa Memorial, we firmly believe that strikes don’t settle contracts; they delay them and keep caregivers from getting the pay and benefits enhancements they deserve. The hospital bargaining team looks forward to returning to the bargaining table after the strike ends.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The SNA’s last contract with the hospital, originally signed in September 2023, expired on Sept. 30, 2026.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "at-a-contra-costa-county-elections-office-workers-say-security-is-paramount",
"title": "At a Contra Costa County Elections Office, Workers Say Security Is ‘Paramount’",
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"headTitle": "At a Contra Costa County Elections Office, Workers Say Security Is ‘Paramount’ | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a Friday morning at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/contra-costa-county\">Contra Costa County\u003c/a> Clerk-Recorder’s Office in Martinez, dozens of people were at work answering the phones or hand-counting ballots. In an adjoining warehouse, dozens more fed tally machines and operated behemoth mail sorters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The workers — a mix of temporary, full-time, and volunteer staff — were of all ages and backgrounds. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s the same thing we’ve always been doing, we haven’t changed,” said Melinda McGee, an election services technician since 2022. McGee and others in her role are responsible for voter registrations, sending out vote-by-mail ballots, and verifying signatures. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/240305-MARTINEZ-VOTING-FILE-MD-04_qed-51570973.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106278\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/240305-MARTINEZ-VOTING-FILE-MD-04_qed-51570973.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/240305-MARTINEZ-VOTING-FILE-MD-04_qed-51570973-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/240305-MARTINEZ-VOTING-FILE-MD-04_qed-51570973-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A poll worker prepares mail-in ballots for sorting at the Contra Costa County Elections Operation Center in Martinez on March 5, 2024. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Of course, as a county agency, we are following the guidelines of the election code … so all we can do is relay the messages given to us and make sure the voters are fully informed of the information we have.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A big part, McGee said, of the election workers’ job starts before the votes even come in, handling tasks like answering questions from voters and offering assurances.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said she’s hearing the usual worries that they receive every year, like questions about registering, or if a ballot was received. But in recent elections, more people have also asked to come to the office and physically observe the ballot count — something available to the public. She said there’s been more interest lately, with discussion of voter fraud and stolen ballots in the news and online. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We’re here for you. We’re working for you. We want you to know what you want to know, and there’s nothing to hide,” McGee said. “You want to come in and observe? By all means, I’ll take you myself. You want to see all the steps? I’ll be happy to show you what’s going on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Understanding election security is always important,” McGee added. “It’s paramount to our business.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the vote just over a week away, elections officials in Contra Costa County and across the country are preparing for everything — ranging from skepticism to outright legal challenges. President Donald Trump has \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/us/politics/documents-china-2020-election-trump.html\">warned\u003c/a> that our nation’s voting systems are vulnerable to foreign interference. Meanwhile, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105068/judge-blocks-dhs-from-sending-armed-agents-to-question-voters-in-search-for-noncitizens\">armed federal agents\u003c/a> are scouring state voter registrations, trying to find proof of noncitizen voters. Just last week, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/19/nx-s1-6007908/election-tensions-escalate-in-california-as-doj-charges-28-people-with-voting-crimes\">DOJ charged 28 people in California\u003c/a> with voting-related crimes, and claimed many “likely non-citizens” on the state’s voting rolls. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“All those developments affect the conduct of the election,” said Travis Ebbert, a supervisor with the elections department for 15 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“What could happen, what potential law changes … what effect that will have on voters’ behavior, their turnout, their voting patterns. Will they distrust the mail? Will they use dropboxes or show up in person more? All of that goes into our planning process,” Ebbert said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/161108_ConcordPolling_bhs02.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11999255\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/161108_ConcordPolling_bhs02.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/161108_ConcordPolling_bhs02-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/161108_ConcordPolling_bhs02-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/161108_ConcordPolling_bhs02-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/161108_ConcordPolling_bhs02-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A polling station in the city of Concord in 2024. (Brittany Hosea-Small/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While some Contra Costa County residents expressed worry to election workers about federal agents arresting people at polling places around Election Day, Ebbert said local law enforcement has assured them that’s not happening. They’re prepared with a contingency plan anyway, drafted with the help of local sheriffs, county council and the regional FBI coordinator. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ebbert and other election workers at the office say that they leave politics at the door, but when speaking to the public about concerns around elections integrity, that can be hard.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nena Manuel has worked elections there for two years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We are very nonpartisan, and so what we do is focus on what the election code book says, and we follow it to a T,” Manuel said. “It doesn’t matter what political party anyone affiliates with, we are going to serve you just as we would everyone else. Everyone come as you are and we will accept you and assist you and get you to vote if you are eligible.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ebbert says since 2016, officials have faced more skepticism from the public about their elections process — but more appreciation, too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“For the last 6 to 8 years, I get ‘Thank you for your service’ like I’m a veteran or something,” said Ebbert, with a laugh. “I show up to work at a government job everyday in an office building and sit at my computer. I thought that was very strange, but I appreciate the sentiment.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Manuel said when she answers the phones, she’s been told the same thing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They are very thankful, because I think when they hear what the process is, and that you have a genuine interest in ensuring that their ballots are being processed in a safe manner, they are happy to hear that,” Manuel said. “It’s very interesting to get that kind of reaction.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McGee, who used to work for a political lobbying group, said she started working in elections to get away from politics. She noted a clear throughline in her career. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Service. It’s about service,” she said. “That is basically my mission in life, helping people. Whether it’s here in this office or outside in my private life, I’m always going to try and help someone. So it’s just lucky I get paid to do it now.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s the same thing we’ve always been doing, we haven’t changed,” said Melinda McGee, an election services technician since 2022. McGee and others in her role are responsible for voter registrations, sending out vote-by-mail ballots, and verifying signatures. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A big part, McGee said, of the election workers’ job starts before the votes even come in, handling tasks like answering questions from voters and offering assurances.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said she’s hearing the usual worries that they receive every year, like questions about registering, or if a ballot was received. But in recent elections, more people have also asked to come to the office and physically observe the ballot count — something available to the public. She said there’s been more interest lately, with discussion of voter fraud and stolen ballots in the news and online. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re here for you. We’re working for you. We want you to know what you want to know, and there’s nothing to hide,” McGee said. “You want to come in and observe? By all means, I’ll take you myself. You want to see all the steps? I’ll be happy to show you what’s going on.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Understanding election security is always important,” McGee added. “It’s paramount to our business.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“All those developments affect the conduct of the election,” said Travis Ebbert, a supervisor with the elections department for 15 years. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While some Contra Costa County residents expressed worry to election workers about federal agents arresting people at polling places around Election Day, Ebbert said local law enforcement has assured them that’s not happening. They’re prepared with a contingency plan anyway, drafted with the help of local sheriffs, county council and the regional FBI coordinator. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are very nonpartisan, and so what we do is focus on what the election code book says, and we follow it to a T,” Manuel said. “It doesn’t matter what political party anyone affiliates with, we are going to serve you just as we would everyone else. Everyone come as you are and we will accept you and assist you and get you to vote if you are eligible.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“For the last 6 to 8 years, I get ‘Thank you for your service’ like I’m a veteran or something,” said Ebbert, with a laugh. “I show up to work at a government job everyday in an office building and sit at my computer. I thought that was very strange, but I appreciate the sentiment.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They are very thankful, because I think when they hear what the process is, and that you have a genuine interest in ensuring that their ballots are being processed in a safe manner, they are happy to hear that,” Manuel said. “It’s very interesting to get that kind of reaction.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Service. It’s about service,” she said. “That is basically my mission in life, helping people. Whether it’s here in this office or outside in my private life, I’m always going to try and help someone. So it’s just lucky I get paid to do it now.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"title": "At a Contra Costa County Elections Office, Workers Say Security Is ‘Paramount’ | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a Friday morning at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/contra-costa-county\">Contra Costa County\u003c/a> Clerk-Recorder’s Office in Martinez, dozens of people were at work answering the phones or hand-counting ballots. In an adjoining warehouse, dozens more fed tally machines and operated behemoth mail sorters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The workers — a mix of temporary, full-time, and volunteer staff — were of all ages and backgrounds. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s the same thing we’ve always been doing, we haven’t changed,” said Melinda McGee, an election services technician since 2022. McGee and others in her role are responsible for voter registrations, sending out vote-by-mail ballots, and verifying signatures. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/240305-MARTINEZ-VOTING-FILE-MD-04_qed-51570973.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106278\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/240305-MARTINEZ-VOTING-FILE-MD-04_qed-51570973.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/240305-MARTINEZ-VOTING-FILE-MD-04_qed-51570973-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/240305-MARTINEZ-VOTING-FILE-MD-04_qed-51570973-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A poll worker prepares mail-in ballots for sorting at the Contra Costa County Elections Operation Center in Martinez on March 5, 2024. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Of course, as a county agency, we are following the guidelines of the election code … so all we can do is relay the messages given to us and make sure the voters are fully informed of the information we have.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A big part, McGee said, of the election workers’ job starts before the votes even come in, handling tasks like answering questions from voters and offering assurances.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said she’s hearing the usual worries that they receive every year, like questions about registering, or if a ballot was received. But in recent elections, more people have also asked to come to the office and physically observe the ballot count — something available to the public. She said there’s been more interest lately, with discussion of voter fraud and stolen ballots in the news and online. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We’re here for you. We’re working for you. We want you to know what you want to know, and there’s nothing to hide,” McGee said. “You want to come in and observe? By all means, I’ll take you myself. You want to see all the steps? I’ll be happy to show you what’s going on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Understanding election security is always important,” McGee added. “It’s paramount to our business.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the vote just over a week away, elections officials in Contra Costa County and across the country are preparing for everything — ranging from skepticism to outright legal challenges. President Donald Trump has \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/us/politics/documents-china-2020-election-trump.html\">warned\u003c/a> that our nation’s voting systems are vulnerable to foreign interference. Meanwhile, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105068/judge-blocks-dhs-from-sending-armed-agents-to-question-voters-in-search-for-noncitizens\">armed federal agents\u003c/a> are scouring state voter registrations, trying to find proof of noncitizen voters. Just last week, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/19/nx-s1-6007908/election-tensions-escalate-in-california-as-doj-charges-28-people-with-voting-crimes\">DOJ charged 28 people in California\u003c/a> with voting-related crimes, and claimed many “likely non-citizens” on the state’s voting rolls. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“All those developments affect the conduct of the election,” said Travis Ebbert, a supervisor with the elections department for 15 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“What could happen, what potential law changes … what effect that will have on voters’ behavior, their turnout, their voting patterns. Will they distrust the mail? Will they use dropboxes or show up in person more? All of that goes into our planning process,” Ebbert said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/161108_ConcordPolling_bhs02.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11999255\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/161108_ConcordPolling_bhs02.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/161108_ConcordPolling_bhs02-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/161108_ConcordPolling_bhs02-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/161108_ConcordPolling_bhs02-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/161108_ConcordPolling_bhs02-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A polling station in the city of Concord in 2024. (Brittany Hosea-Small/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While some Contra Costa County residents expressed worry to election workers about federal agents arresting people at polling places around Election Day, Ebbert said local law enforcement has assured them that’s not happening. They’re prepared with a contingency plan anyway, drafted with the help of local sheriffs, county council and the regional FBI coordinator. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ebbert and other election workers at the office say that they leave politics at the door, but when speaking to the public about concerns around elections integrity, that can be hard.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nena Manuel has worked elections there for two years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We are very nonpartisan, and so what we do is focus on what the election code book says, and we follow it to a T,” Manuel said. “It doesn’t matter what political party anyone affiliates with, we are going to serve you just as we would everyone else. Everyone come as you are and we will accept you and assist you and get you to vote if you are eligible.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ebbert says since 2016, officials have faced more skepticism from the public about their elections process — but more appreciation, too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“For the last 6 to 8 years, I get ‘Thank you for your service’ like I’m a veteran or something,” said Ebbert, with a laugh. “I show up to work at a government job everyday in an office building and sit at my computer. I thought that was very strange, but I appreciate the sentiment.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Manuel said when she answers the phones, she’s been told the same thing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They are very thankful, because I think when they hear what the process is, and that you have a genuine interest in ensuring that their ballots are being processed in a safe manner, they are happy to hear that,” Manuel said. “It’s very interesting to get that kind of reaction.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McGee, who used to work for a political lobbying group, said she started working in elections to get away from politics. She noted a clear throughline in her career. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Service. It’s about service,” she said. “That is basically my mission in life, helping people. Whether it’s here in this office or outside in my private life, I’m always going to try and help someone. So it’s just lucky I get paid to do it now.” \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A group of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> Faculty Association union members and students rallied in San José on Thursday to protest a speech by the state university system’s chancellor, demanding higher pay and more job security protections against AI.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lecturers, faculty members and students from Sacramento and San José State University marched in the rain in front of the city’s Signia Hilton Hotel, which hosted California State University’s 2026 Student Success Symposium.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Holding signs that read “CSU unfair to labor” and “Step up or strike out,” they called on CSU Chancellor Mildred García, who was giving a speech at the event. They chanted, “What do we want? Fair contracts! When do we want it? Now!”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“We want to be heard at the bargaining table and let her know that faculty is present at San José State,” said Ginevra Marta Scherini, a lecturer at the university. “We want fair bargaining and good outcomes for our contracts.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240403_SJSUFILE_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037915\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240403_SJSUFILE_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240403_SJSUFILE_GC-11-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240403_SJSUFILE_GC-11-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240403_SJSUFILE_GC-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240403_SJSUFILE_GC-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240403_SJSUFILE_GC-11-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tower Hall at San José State University on April 3, 2025. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In July, the faculty union declared an impasse in contract negotiations after \u003ca href=\"https://www.calfac.org/cfa-declares-impasse-in-contract-bargaining-negotiations/\">CSU returned with a proposal\u003c/a> that would cut their health benefits. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scherini, who said she’s been working at the university for five years and teaches in three different departments, still has to work a second job to afford living in the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She also said she’s worried about how SJSU and CSU’s interest in AI will impact her job security.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/technology/ai-empowered-csu/Pages/ai-timeline.aspx\">CSU launched its AI Initiative in 2025\u003c/a> with the goal of becoming the “nation’s first and largest AI-empowered university system,” partnering with the governor’s office, Adobe, OpenAI, NVIDIA and other tech companies to implement more AI tools for students, staff and faculty members.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Upstairs, above the lobby, administrators and presidents from each of the 22 CSU campuses listened to García’s plans for increasing academic success, graduation rates and hiring rates in the coming few years. \u003cbr>\u003cbr>“The CSU has never been and will not now be reckless with our students’ futures,” García said at the symposium.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Personally, I’m a waitress on Fridays so that I can make ends meet,” Scherini said. “If we’re having to juggle two, three jobs to make ends meet, that’s going to directly impact their learning outcomes.” She said she has been going to AI training sessions, but the policies around how AI usage on campus are still vague.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“One of the major guardrails I hope to see come out is to make sure that artificial intelligence isn’t used to replace faculty and substitute for classroom learning,” Scherini added.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San José State University spokesperson Michelle Smith McDonald told KQED at the event that the university is keeping its AI policies “more open” to allow professors and lecturers to freely decide how they want it to be used in the classroom.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The university hears those concerns, the provost hears those concerns, and it’s a matter of how prescriptive you are about AI and AI usage,” McDonald said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lecturers, faculty members and students from Sacramento and San José State University marched in the rain in front of the city’s Signia Hilton Hotel, which hosted California State University’s 2026 Student Success Symposium.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Holding signs that read “CSU unfair to labor” and “Step up or strike out,” they called on CSU Chancellor Mildred García, who was giving a speech at the event. They chanted, “What do we want? Fair contracts! When do we want it? Now!”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“We want to be heard at the bargaining table and let her know that faculty is present at San José State,” said Ginevra Marta Scherini, a lecturer at the university. “We want fair bargaining and good outcomes for our contracts.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/technology/ai-empowered-csu/Pages/ai-timeline.aspx\">CSU launched its AI Initiative in 2025\u003c/a> with the goal of becoming the “nation’s first and largest AI-empowered university system,” partnering with the governor’s office, Adobe, OpenAI, NVIDIA and other tech companies to implement more AI tools for students, staff and faculty members.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Personally, I’m a waitress on Fridays so that I can make ends meet,” Scherini said. “If we’re having to juggle two, three jobs to make ends meet, that’s going to directly impact their learning outcomes.” She said she has been going to AI training sessions, but the policies around how AI usage on campus are still vague.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“One of the major guardrails I hope to see come out is to make sure that artificial intelligence isn’t used to replace faculty and substitute for classroom learning,” Scherini added.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San José State University spokesperson Michelle Smith McDonald told KQED at the event that the university is keeping its AI policies “more open” to allow professors and lecturers to freely decide how they want it to be used in the classroom.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A group of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> Faculty Association union members and students rallied in San José on Thursday to protest a speech by the state university system’s chancellor, demanding higher pay and more job security protections against AI.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lecturers, faculty members and students from Sacramento and San José State University marched in the rain in front of the city’s Signia Hilton Hotel, which hosted California State University’s 2026 Student Success Symposium.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Holding signs that read “CSU unfair to labor” and “Step up or strike out,” they called on CSU Chancellor Mildred García, who was giving a speech at the event. They chanted, “What do we want? Fair contracts! When do we want it? Now!”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“We want to be heard at the bargaining table and let her know that faculty is present at San José State,” said Ginevra Marta Scherini, a lecturer at the university. “We want fair bargaining and good outcomes for our contracts.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240403_SJSUFILE_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037915\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240403_SJSUFILE_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240403_SJSUFILE_GC-11-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240403_SJSUFILE_GC-11-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240403_SJSUFILE_GC-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240403_SJSUFILE_GC-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240403_SJSUFILE_GC-11-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tower Hall at San José State University on April 3, 2025. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In July, the faculty union declared an impasse in contract negotiations after \u003ca href=\"https://www.calfac.org/cfa-declares-impasse-in-contract-bargaining-negotiations/\">CSU returned with a proposal\u003c/a> that would cut their health benefits. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scherini, who said she’s been working at the university for five years and teaches in three different departments, still has to work a second job to afford living in the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She also said she’s worried about how SJSU and CSU’s interest in AI will impact her job security.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/technology/ai-empowered-csu/Pages/ai-timeline.aspx\">CSU launched its AI Initiative in 2025\u003c/a> with the goal of becoming the “nation’s first and largest AI-empowered university system,” partnering with the governor’s office, Adobe, OpenAI, NVIDIA and other tech companies to implement more AI tools for students, staff and faculty members.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Upstairs, above the lobby, administrators and presidents from each of the 22 CSU campuses listened to García’s plans for increasing academic success, graduation rates and hiring rates in the coming few years. \u003cbr>\u003cbr>“The CSU has never been and will not now be reckless with our students’ futures,” García said at the symposium.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Personally, I’m a waitress on Fridays so that I can make ends meet,” Scherini said. “If we’re having to juggle two, three jobs to make ends meet, that’s going to directly impact their learning outcomes.” She said she has been going to AI training sessions, but the policies around how AI usage on campus are still vague.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“One of the major guardrails I hope to see come out is to make sure that artificial intelligence isn’t used to replace faculty and substitute for classroom learning,” Scherini added.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San José State University spokesperson Michelle Smith McDonald told KQED at the event that the university is keeping its AI policies “more open” to allow professors and lecturers to freely decide how they want it to be used in the classroom.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The university hears those concerns, the provost hears those concerns, and it’s a matter of how prescriptive you are about AI and AI usage,” McDonald said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "californias-largest-state-employee-union-starts-one-day-strike",
"title": "California’s Largest State Employee Union Holds 1-Day Strike",
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"headTitle": "California’s Largest State Employee Union Holds 1-Day Strike | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An estimated tens of thousands of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> civil service state employees \u003ca href=\"https://www.seiu1000.org/strike/\">walked off\u003c/a> their jobs Wednesday for a one-day strike that was expected to disrupt operations at many government departments and agencies, including the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Employment Development Department and State Parks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The walkout is the first ever by the state’s largest government workers’ union, the Service Employees International Union Local 1000, which represents about 96,000 employees. Picket lines were held in Sacramento, San Francisco, Fresno, Los Angeles and other cities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We are making history!” Susan Rodriguez, a claims adjuster with the State Compensation Insurance Fund, and a bargaining team member, told a cheering crowd outside the Elihu M. Harris State Office Building in Oakland. “I’m so proud of everyone for having the courage to do this because I’ve had a lot of conversations with people over the last few weeks and there were a lot of nervous souls.\u003cem>”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Analysts, paralegals, health educators, custodians and other employees protested what the union called delayed meaningful negotiations with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration. Months-long contract talks have yet to reach a deal on worker priorities such as pay, healthcare costs and telework requirements.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-16-MC-KQED_1-94646668.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105604\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-16-MC-KQED_1-94646668.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-16-MC-KQED_1-94646668-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-16-MC-KQED_1-94646668-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shop steward Ezra Roberts leads a marching chant during a rally in support of a one-day California state workers strike in Oakland on Oct. 21, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The intention for today is to withhold our labor, let the state know that we need them to come back to the table and bargain with us in good faith,” Rodriguez, who has worked for the state for 24 years, told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fewer than 5,000 state employees deemed essential at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of Transportation, State Hospitals and other agencies were exempted from the walkout and \u003ca href=\"https://www.seiu1000.org/essentialworkers/\">required to work\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Angela Musallam, a spokesperson with the California Department of Human Resources, which has been bargaining with the union, said her agency coordinated with state departments to ensure all necessary preparations were in place.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“As part of these preparedness efforts, CalHR continues to provide guidance, training, and support to state departments,” Musallam said in a statement. “The department remains focused on achieving a fair and responsible agreement and continues to be available at the bargaining table.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each agency keeps contingency plans to address disruptions in government operations, she added. SEIU Local 1000 represents about 40% of the nearly \u003ca href=\"https://sco.ca.gov/ppsd_empinfo_demo.html\">246,000\u003c/a> active state employees, excluding California State Universities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The union, which bargains a single contract for all of its members, proposed across-the-board wage raises of 20% over three years, higher state contributions toward healthcare costs, and for each department to develop remote-work policies according to its needs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom’s mandate for tens of thousands of hybrid or remote employees to return to the office at least four days a week, which went into effect in July, remains a hot button issue. Many workers argue they can do their jobs efficiently without having to commute into an office, which represents an added cost, especially for those who must travel longer distances. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maryann Yunsan, a hearing officer at the Department of Motor Vehicle’s driver safety program, said she and co-workers valued working from home three days a week.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-06-MC-KQED-c78882d3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105601\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-06-MC-KQED-c78882d3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-06-MC-KQED-c78882d3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-06-MC-KQED-c78882d3-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supporters and union members display signs during a rally in support of a one-day California state workers strike in Oakland on Oct. 21, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The three days that we have been doing for the past years were taken away just like that,” said Yunsan, a state employee for 33 years. “It just doesn’t make any sense.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The standoff comes after the administration asked a public-sector labor regulator earlier this month to stop the strike from happening, arguing that it added “undue pressure” to concede to the union’s demands, as both parties entered mediation. CalHR officials also said public safety and health would be at risk if essential workers joined the strike.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Public Employees Relations Board decided on Oct. 16 that the walkout could move forward if the union exempted additional employees, the bulk of them at state prison facilities. PERB also directed the state to seek as many replacement workers as possible. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the Oakland rally, workers said the administration delayed previously promised raises, stagnating their wages even as the price of food and gas has continued to increase.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“State workers are underpaid compared to private industry and we definitely use benefits to try and make up for some of that. But more recently, our premiums have gone up significantly,” said Ezra Roberts, an analyst with CalTrans. “It can be hard to make ends meet.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2016, the union also threatened a strike, but reached a last-minute agreement with the state. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>An estimated tens of thousands of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> civil service state employees \u003ca href=\"https://www.seiu1000.org/strike/\">walked off\u003c/a> their jobs Wednesday for a one-day strike that was expected to disrupt operations at many government departments and agencies, including the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Employment Development Department and State Parks.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The walkout is the first ever by the state’s largest government workers’ union, the Service Employees International Union Local 1000, which represents about 96,000 employees. Picket lines were held in Sacramento, San Francisco, Fresno, Los Angeles and other cities.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are making history!” Susan Rodriguez, a claims adjuster with the State Compensation Insurance Fund, and a bargaining team member, told a cheering crowd outside the Elihu M. Harris State Office Building in Oakland. “I’m so proud of everyone for having the courage to do this because I’ve had a lot of conversations with people over the last few weeks and there were a lot of nervous souls.\u003cem>”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We are making history!” Susan Rodriguez, a claims adjuster with the State Compensation Insurance Fund, and a bargaining team member, told a cheering crowd outside the Elihu M. Harris State Office Building in Oakland. “I’m so proud of everyone for having the courage to do this because I’ve had a lot of conversations with people over the last few weeks and there were a lot of nervous souls.\u003cem>”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Analysts, paralegals, health educators, custodians and other employees protested what the union called delayed meaningful negotiations with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration. Months-long contract talks have yet to reach a deal on worker priorities such as pay, healthcare costs and telework requirements.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-16-MC-KQED_1-94646668.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105604\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-16-MC-KQED_1-94646668.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-16-MC-KQED_1-94646668-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-16-MC-KQED_1-94646668-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shop steward Ezra Roberts leads a marching chant during a rally in support of a one-day California state workers strike in Oakland on Oct. 21, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The intention for today is to withhold our labor, let the state know that we need them to come back to the table and bargain with us in good faith,” Rodriguez, who has worked for the state for 24 years, told KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The intention for today is to withhold our labor, let the state know that we need them to come back to the table and bargain with us in good faith,” Rodriguez, who has worked for the state for 24 years, told KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fewer than 5,000 state employees deemed essential at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of Transportation, State Hospitals and other agencies were exempted from the walkout and \u003ca href=\"https://www.seiu1000.org/essentialworkers/\">required to work\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Angela Musallam, a spokesperson with the California Department of Human Resources, which has been bargaining with the union, said her agency coordinated with state departments to ensure all necessary preparations were in place.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“As part of these preparedness efforts, CalHR continues to provide guidance, training, and support to state departments,” Musallam said in a statement. “The department remains focused on achieving a fair and responsible agreement and continues to be available at the bargaining table.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each agency keeps contingency plans to address disruptions in government operations, she added. SEIU Local 1000 represents about 40% of the nearly \u003ca href=\"https://sco.ca.gov/ppsd_empinfo_demo.html\">246,000\u003c/a> active state employees, excluding California State Universities.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Each agency keeps contingency plans to address disruptions in government operations, she added. SEIU Local 1000 represents about 40% of the nearly \u003ca href=\"https://sco.ca.gov/ppsd_empinfo_demo.html\">246,000\u003c/a> active state employees, excluding California State Universities.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The union, which bargains a single contract for all of its members, proposed across-the-board wage raises of 20% over three years, higher state contributions toward healthcare costs, and for each department to develop remote-work policies according to its needs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The union, which bargains a single contract for all of its members, proposed across-the-board wage raises of 20% over three years, higher state contributions toward healthcare costs, and for each department to develop remote-work policies according to its needs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Newsom’s mandate for tens of thousands of hybrid or remote employees to return to the office at least four days a week, which went into effect in July, remains a hot button issue. Many workers argue they can do their jobs efficiently without having to commute into an office, which represents an added cost, especially for those who must travel longer distances. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Newsom’s mandate for tens of thousands of hybrid or remote employees to return to the office at least four days a week, which went into effect in July, remains a hot button issue. Many workers argue they can do their jobs efficiently without having to commute into an office, which represents an added cost, especially for those who must travel longer distances. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Maryann Yunsan, a hearing officer at the Department of Motor Vehicle’s driver safety program, said she and co-workers valued working from home three days a week.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Maryann Yunsan, a hearing officer at the Department of Motor Vehicle’s driver safety program, said she and co-workers valued working from home three days a week.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-06-MC-KQED-c78882d3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105601\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-06-MC-KQED-c78882d3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-06-MC-KQED-c78882d3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-06-MC-KQED-c78882d3-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supporters and union members display signs during a rally in support of a one-day California state workers strike in Oakland on Oct. 21, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The three days that we have been doing for the past years were taken away just like that,” said Yunsan, a state employee for 33 years. “It just doesn’t make any sense.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The three days that we have been doing for the past years were taken away just like that,” said Yunsan, a state employee for 33 years. “It just doesn’t make any sense.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The standoff comes after the administration asked a public-sector labor regulator earlier this month to stop the strike from happening, arguing that it added “undue pressure” to concede to the union’s demands, as both parties entered mediation. CalHR officials also said public safety and health would be at risk if essential workers joined the strike.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The standoff comes after the administration asked a public-sector labor regulator earlier this month to stop the strike from happening, arguing that it added “undue pressure” to concede to the union’s demands, as both parties entered mediation. CalHR officials also said public safety and health would be at risk if essential workers joined the strike.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Public Employees Relations Board decided on Oct. 16 that the walkout could move forward if the union exempted additional employees, the bulk of them at state prison facilities. PERB also directed the state to seek as many replacement workers as possible. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Public Employees Relations Board decided on Oct. 16 that the walkout could move forward if the union exempted additional employees, the bulk of them at state prison facilities. PERB also directed the state to seek as many replacement workers as possible. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the Oakland rally, workers said the administration delayed previously promised raises, stagnating their wages even as the price of food and gas has continued to increase.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At the Oakland rally, workers said the administration delayed previously promised raises, stagnating their wages even as the price of food and gas has continued to increase.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“State workers are underpaid compared to private industry and we definitely use benefits to try and make up for some of that. But more recently, our premiums have gone up significantly,” said Ezra Roberts, an analyst with CalTrans. “It can be hard to make ends meet.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“State workers are underpaid compared to private industry and we definitely use benefits to try and make up for some of that. But more recently, our premiums have gone up significantly,” said Ezra Roberts, an analyst with CalTrans. “It can be hard to make ends meet.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"title": "California’s Largest State Employee Union Holds 1-Day Strike | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An estimated tens of thousands of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> civil service state employees \u003ca href=\"https://www.seiu1000.org/strike/\">walked off\u003c/a> their jobs Wednesday for a one-day strike that was expected to disrupt operations at many government departments and agencies, including the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Employment Development Department and State Parks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The walkout is the first ever by the state’s largest government workers’ union, the Service Employees International Union Local 1000, which represents about 96,000 employees. Picket lines were held in Sacramento, San Francisco, Fresno, Los Angeles and other cities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We are making history!” Susan Rodriguez, a claims adjuster with the State Compensation Insurance Fund, and a bargaining team member, told a cheering crowd outside the Elihu M. Harris State Office Building in Oakland. “I’m so proud of everyone for having the courage to do this because I’ve had a lot of conversations with people over the last few weeks and there were a lot of nervous souls.\u003cem>”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Analysts, paralegals, health educators, custodians and other employees protested what the union called delayed meaningful negotiations with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration. Months-long contract talks have yet to reach a deal on worker priorities such as pay, healthcare costs and telework requirements.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-16-MC-KQED_1-94646668.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105604\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-16-MC-KQED_1-94646668.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-16-MC-KQED_1-94646668-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-16-MC-KQED_1-94646668-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shop steward Ezra Roberts leads a marching chant during a rally in support of a one-day California state workers strike in Oakland on Oct. 21, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The intention for today is to withhold our labor, let the state know that we need them to come back to the table and bargain with us in good faith,” Rodriguez, who has worked for the state for 24 years, told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fewer than 5,000 state employees deemed essential at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of Transportation, State Hospitals and other agencies were exempted from the walkout and \u003ca href=\"https://www.seiu1000.org/essentialworkers/\">required to work\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Angela Musallam, a spokesperson with the California Department of Human Resources, which has been bargaining with the union, said her agency coordinated with state departments to ensure all necessary preparations were in place.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“As part of these preparedness efforts, CalHR continues to provide guidance, training, and support to state departments,” Musallam said in a statement. “The department remains focused on achieving a fair and responsible agreement and continues to be available at the bargaining table.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each agency keeps contingency plans to address disruptions in government operations, she added. SEIU Local 1000 represents about 40% of the nearly \u003ca href=\"https://sco.ca.gov/ppsd_empinfo_demo.html\">246,000\u003c/a> active state employees, excluding California State Universities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The union, which bargains a single contract for all of its members, proposed across-the-board wage raises of 20% over three years, higher state contributions toward healthcare costs, and for each department to develop remote-work policies according to its needs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom’s mandate for tens of thousands of hybrid or remote employees to return to the office at least four days a week, which went into effect in July, remains a hot button issue. Many workers argue they can do their jobs efficiently without having to commute into an office, which represents an added cost, especially for those who must travel longer distances. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maryann Yunsan, a hearing officer at the Department of Motor Vehicle’s driver safety program, said she and co-workers valued working from home three days a week.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-06-MC-KQED-c78882d3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105601\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-06-MC-KQED-c78882d3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-06-MC-KQED-c78882d3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/102126-STATEWORKERSTRIKERALLY-06-MC-KQED-c78882d3-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supporters and union members display signs during a rally in support of a one-day California state workers strike in Oakland on Oct. 21, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The three days that we have been doing for the past years were taken away just like that,” said Yunsan, a state employee for 33 years. “It just doesn’t make any sense.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The standoff comes after the administration asked a public-sector labor regulator earlier this month to stop the strike from happening, arguing that it added “undue pressure” to concede to the union’s demands, as both parties entered mediation. CalHR officials also said public safety and health would be at risk if essential workers joined the strike.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Public Employees Relations Board decided on Oct. 16 that the walkout could move forward if the union exempted additional employees, the bulk of them at state prison facilities. PERB also directed the state to seek as many replacement workers as possible. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the Oakland rally, workers said the administration delayed previously promised raises, stagnating their wages even as the price of food and gas has continued to increase.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“State workers are underpaid compared to private industry and we definitely use benefits to try and make up for some of that. But more recently, our premiums have gone up significantly,” said Ezra Roberts, an analyst with CalTrans. “It can be hard to make ends meet.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2016, the union also threatened a strike, but reached a last-minute agreement with the state. \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "instacart-to-pay-5-million-over-alleged-hiring-discrimination-against-us-born-employees",
"title": "Instacart to Pay $5 Million Over Alleged Hiring Discrimination Against US-Born Employees",
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"headTitle": "Instacart to Pay $5 Million Over Alleged Hiring Discrimination Against US-Born Employees | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco-based online grocery company \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/category/technology\">Instacart\u003c/a> agreed to a $5 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, following allegations that the company discriminated against American workers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The settlement comes as part of the Trump administration’s “Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative” and “Project Firewall,” aimed at stopping employers who “illegally favor foreign workers over workers of American national origin,” according to the DOJ’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/civil-rights-division-and-equal-employment-opportunity-commission-secure-5000000-joint\">press release\u003c/a>. Tech companies that employ a significant \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/trump-says-skilled-foreign-workers-take-jobs-away-from-americans-its-not-that-simple-experts-say\">number\u003c/a> of H-1B holders have been impacted by the federal push.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The DOJ said that it investigated Instacart for burdening U.S. workers during Program Electronic Review Management, or \u003ca href=\"https://flag.dol.gov/programs/perm\">PERM\u003c/a>, a mandatory process where companies interested in sponsoring workers permanently must first make sure there are no U.S. citizens who are qualified, willing and able to take the job. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the DOJ, their investigation found that Instacart required U.S. employees to physically mail their applications for job postings advertised during PERM. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1148\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11809217\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut-800x478.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut-1020x610.jpg 1020w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An Instacart worker scans barcodes showing proof of purchase for a customer while picking up groceries. Instacart shoppers are planning a nationwide strike on March 30, 2020. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“While we maintain that our practices complied with all applicable laws and regulations, we’re pleased to have resolved this matter so we can keep our full focus on delivering on our mission for customers, shoppers, retailers, and brands,” an Instacart spokesperson told KQED in a statement, adding that some of the PERM requirements are outdated and do not reflect how companies recruit talent today. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-immigration-h1b-visas-perm-tech-jobs-recruitment\">ProPublica\u003c/a>, PERM requirements were created in the pre-internet era and state that employers must post the job in two successive Sunday newspapers in the job’s location. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Following the settlement, the company will put $4 million in a fund for Instacart applicants who may have been impacted by “discriminatory practices” between December 2023 and February 2026. The other $1 million will go to the U.S. government in civil penalties, according to the press release. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instacart is just one of the tech companies that have faced this type of lawsuit. Earlier this summer, OpenAI settled a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1455621/dl?inline\">case\u003c/a> for a little over $3 million for requiring workers to file applications by mail. Apple settled a similar case in \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-secures-25-million-landmark-agreement-apple-resolve-employment\">2023\u003c/a>, and Facebook settled one in \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/press-release/file/1443336/dl?inline\">2021\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While the federal government cracks down on PERM enforcement, state and local governments are hitting companies like Instacart with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11774025/which-jobs-will-be-impacted-by-ab-5-californias-landmark-employment-measure\">AB 5\u003c/a> lawsuits. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The landmark legislation, which went into effect in 2020, makes it harder for companies to classify employees as independent contractors. This shift protects gig workers by forcing companies to provide basic protections, including minimum wage, overtime, healthcare and Social Security contributions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2022, Instacart settled a $46.5 million \u003ca href=\"https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/nr221010a.pdf\">lawsuit\u003c/a> for misclassifying workers as independent contractors and not providing them with mileage reimbursement and other benefits. Lyft lost a similar \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102378/lyft-agrees-to-272-million-wage-theft-lawsuit-as-uber-fights-on\">lawsuit\u003c/a> earlier this month to the tune of $272 million for allegedly misclassifying California drivers as independent contractors from 2016 to 2020. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Monday, WorkWhile, another gig company, reached a $2.3 million settlement with San Francisco over worker misclassification, according to court \u003ca href=\"https://webapps.sftc.org/ci/CaseInfo.dll?CaseNum=CGC24615401&SessionID=3B3837A1B2923B867149820BB368580F6145DA17\">records\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tech companies have long relied on both \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095749/tech-workers-have-long-resisted-unions-will-ai-and-politics-change-the-equation\">immigrant \u003c/a>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11741371/two-tiered-caste-system-the-world-of-white-collar-contracting-in-silicon-valley\">contract\u003c/a> labor, but workers are starting to organize. Most recently, California’s rideshare workers \u003ca href=\"https://cagigunion.org/news/2026/09/09/state-certifies-california-gig-workers-union-to-represent-uber-and-lyft-drivers-in-the-state-establishing-largest-union-of-rideshare-drivers-in-the-world/\">joined\u003c/a> the California Gig Workers Union, establishing the largest union of rideshare drivers in the world, according to a union press release.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/fjhabvala\">Farida Jhabvala Romero\u003c/a> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The settlement comes as part of the Trump administration’s “Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative” and “Project Firewall,” aimed at stopping employers who “illegally favor foreign workers over workers of American national origin,” according to the DOJ’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/civil-rights-division-and-equal-employment-opportunity-commission-secure-5000000-joint\">press release\u003c/a>. Tech companies that employ a significant \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/trump-says-skilled-foreign-workers-take-jobs-away-from-americans-its-not-that-simple-experts-say\">number\u003c/a> of H-1B holders have been impacted by the federal push.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The DOJ said that it investigated Instacart for burdening U.S. workers during Program Electronic Review Management, or \u003ca href=\"https://flag.dol.gov/programs/perm\">PERM\u003c/a>, a mandatory process where companies interested in sponsoring workers permanently must first make sure there are no U.S. citizens who are qualified, willing and able to take the job. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The DOJ said that it investigated Instacart for burdening U.S. workers during Program Electronic Review Management, or \u003ca href=\"https://flag.dol.gov/programs/perm\">PERM\u003c/a>, a mandatory process where companies interested in sponsoring workers permanently must first make sure there are no U.S. citizens who are qualified, willing and able to take the job. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11809217\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut-800x478.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut-1020x610.jpg 1020w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An Instacart worker scans barcodes showing proof of purchase for a customer while picking up groceries. Instacart shoppers are planning a nationwide strike on March 30, 2020.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“While we maintain that our practices complied with all applicable laws and regulations, we’re pleased to have resolved this matter so we can keep our full focus on delivering on our mission for customers, shoppers, retailers, and brands,” an Instacart spokesperson told KQED in a statement, adding that some of the PERM requirements are outdated and do not reflect how companies recruit talent today. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-immigration-h1b-visas-perm-tech-jobs-recruitment\">ProPublica\u003c/a>, PERM requirements were created in the pre-internet era and state that employers must post the job in two successive Sunday newspapers in the job’s location. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Following the settlement, the company will put $4 million in a fund for Instacart applicants who may have been impacted by “discriminatory practices” between December 2023 and February 2026. The other $1 million will go to the U.S. government in civil penalties, according to the press release. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instacart is just one of the tech companies that have faced this type of lawsuit. Earlier this summer, OpenAI settled a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1455621/dl?inline\">case\u003c/a> for a little over $3 million for requiring workers to file applications by mail. Apple settled a similar case in \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-secures-25-million-landmark-agreement-apple-resolve-employment\">2023\u003c/a>, and Facebook settled one in \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/press-release/file/1443336/dl?inline\">2021\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While the federal government cracks down on PERM enforcement, state and local governments are hitting companies like Instacart with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11774025/which-jobs-will-be-impacted-by-ab-5-californias-landmark-employment-measure\">AB 5\u003c/a> lawsuits. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The landmark legislation, which went into effect in 2020, makes it harder for companies to classify employees as independent contractors. This shift protects gig workers by forcing companies to provide basic protections, including minimum wage, overtime, healthcare and Social Security contributions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2022, Instacart settled a $46.5 million \u003ca href=\"https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/nr221010a.pdf\">lawsuit\u003c/a> for misclassifying workers as independent contractors and not providing them with mileage reimbursement and other benefits. Lyft lost a similar \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102378/lyft-agrees-to-272-million-wage-theft-lawsuit-as-uber-fights-on\">lawsuit\u003c/a> earlier this month to the tune of $272 million for allegedly misclassifying California drivers as independent contractors from 2016 to 2020. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Monday, WorkWhile, another gig company, reached a $2.3 million settlement with San Francisco over worker misclassification, according to court \u003ca href=\"https://webapps.sftc.org/ci/CaseInfo.dll?CaseNum=CGC24615401&SessionID=3B3837A1B2923B867149820BB368580F6145DA17\">records\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tech companies have long relied on both \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095749/tech-workers-have-long-resisted-unions-will-ai-and-politics-change-the-equation\">immigrant \u003c/a>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11741371/two-tiered-caste-system-the-world-of-white-collar-contracting-in-silicon-valley\">contract\u003c/a> labor, but workers are starting to organize. Most recently, California’s rideshare workers \u003ca href=\"https://cagigunion.org/news/2026/09/09/state-certifies-california-gig-workers-union-to-represent-uber-and-lyft-drivers-in-the-state-establishing-largest-union-of-rideshare-drivers-in-the-world/\">joined\u003c/a> the California Gig Workers Union, establishing the largest union of rideshare drivers in the world, according to a union press release.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tech companies have long relied on both \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095749/tech-workers-have-long-resisted-unions-will-ai-and-politics-change-the-equation\">immigrant \u003c/a>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11741371/two-tiered-caste-system-the-world-of-white-collar-contracting-in-silicon-valley\">contract\u003c/a> labor, but workers are starting to organize. Most recently, California’s rideshare workers \u003ca href=\"https://cagigunion.org/news/2026/09/09/state-certifies-california-gig-workers-union-to-represent-uber-and-lyft-drivers-in-the-state-establishing-largest-union-of-rideshare-drivers-in-the-world/\">joined\u003c/a> the California Gig Workers Union, establishing the largest union of rideshare drivers in the world, according to a union press release.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/fjhabvala\">Farida Jhabvala Romero\u003c/a> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The DOJ accused the online grocery delivery company of favoring foreign workers in its hiring process. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>San Francisco-based online grocery company \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/category/technology\">Instacart\u003c/a> agreed to a $5 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, following allegations that the company discriminated against American workers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The settlement comes as part of the Trump administration’s “Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative” and “Project Firewall,” aimed at stopping employers who “illegally favor foreign workers over workers of American national origin,” according to the DOJ’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/civil-rights-division-and-equal-employment-opportunity-commission-secure-5000000-joint\">press release\u003c/a>. Tech companies that employ a significant \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/trump-says-skilled-foreign-workers-take-jobs-away-from-americans-its-not-that-simple-experts-say\">number\u003c/a> of H-1B holders have been impacted by the federal push.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The DOJ said that it investigated Instacart for burdening U.S. workers during Program Electronic Review Management, or \u003ca href=\"https://flag.dol.gov/programs/perm\">PERM\u003c/a>, a mandatory process where companies interested in sponsoring workers permanently must first make sure there are no U.S. citizens who are qualified, willing and able to take the job. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the DOJ, their investigation found that Instacart required U.S. employees to physically mail their applications for job postings advertised during PERM. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1148\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11809217\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut-800x478.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/RS42333_GettyImages-1207671954-qut-1020x610.jpg 1020w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An Instacart worker scans barcodes showing proof of purchase for a customer while picking up groceries. Instacart shoppers are planning a nationwide strike on March 30, 2020. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“While we maintain that our practices complied with all applicable laws and regulations, we’re pleased to have resolved this matter so we can keep our full focus on delivering on our mission for customers, shoppers, retailers, and brands,” an Instacart spokesperson told KQED in a statement, adding that some of the PERM requirements are outdated and do not reflect how companies recruit talent today. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-immigration-h1b-visas-perm-tech-jobs-recruitment\">ProPublica\u003c/a>, PERM requirements were created in the pre-internet era and state that employers must post the job in two successive Sunday newspapers in the job’s location. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Following the settlement, the company will put $4 million in a fund for Instacart applicants who may have been impacted by “discriminatory practices” between December 2023 and February 2026. The other $1 million will go to the U.S. government in civil penalties, according to the press release. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instacart is just one of the tech companies that have faced this type of lawsuit. Earlier this summer, OpenAI settled a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1455621/dl?inline\">case\u003c/a> for a little over $3 million for requiring workers to file applications by mail. Apple settled a similar case in \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-secures-25-million-landmark-agreement-apple-resolve-employment\">2023\u003c/a>, and Facebook settled one in \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/press-release/file/1443336/dl?inline\">2021\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While the federal government cracks down on PERM enforcement, state and local governments are hitting companies like Instacart with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11774025/which-jobs-will-be-impacted-by-ab-5-californias-landmark-employment-measure\">AB 5\u003c/a> lawsuits. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The landmark legislation, which went into effect in 2020, makes it harder for companies to classify employees as independent contractors. This shift protects gig workers by forcing companies to provide basic protections, including minimum wage, overtime, healthcare and Social Security contributions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2022, Instacart settled a $46.5 million \u003ca href=\"https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/nr221010a.pdf\">lawsuit\u003c/a> for misclassifying workers as independent contractors and not providing them with mileage reimbursement and other benefits. Lyft lost a similar \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102378/lyft-agrees-to-272-million-wage-theft-lawsuit-as-uber-fights-on\">lawsuit\u003c/a> earlier this month to the tune of $272 million for allegedly misclassifying California drivers as independent contractors from 2016 to 2020. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Monday, WorkWhile, another gig company, reached a $2.3 million settlement with San Francisco over worker misclassification, according to court \u003ca href=\"https://webapps.sftc.org/ci/CaseInfo.dll?CaseNum=CGC24615401&SessionID=3B3837A1B2923B867149820BB368580F6145DA17\">records\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tech companies have long relied on both \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095749/tech-workers-have-long-resisted-unions-will-ai-and-politics-change-the-equation\">immigrant \u003c/a>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11741371/two-tiered-caste-system-the-world-of-white-collar-contracting-in-silicon-valley\">contract\u003c/a> labor, but workers are starting to organize. Most recently, California’s rideshare workers \u003ca href=\"https://cagigunion.org/news/2026/09/09/state-certifies-california-gig-workers-union-to-represent-uber-and-lyft-drivers-in-the-state-establishing-largest-union-of-rideshare-drivers-in-the-world/\">joined\u003c/a> the California Gig Workers Union, establishing the largest union of rideshare drivers in the world, according to a union press release.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/fjhabvala\">Farida Jhabvala Romero\u003c/a> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-district-attorney\">San Francisco prosecutors\u003c/a> announced on Monday that they have filed felony involuntary manslaughter charges against a construction company and three of its employees in connection with a trench collapse that killed a worker in 2023. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission contracted with D’Arcy & Harty Construction, Inc., for a sewer tunnel rehabilitation project in the city’s Lower Haight neighborhood in September 2023. Javier Romero of Alameda, 24, was working in a narrow trench near the corner of Oak and Divisadero Streets when a passing heavy vehicle caused it to collapse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Romero was buried alive and died of asphyxia. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The defendants, John Finbarr Darcy, 62, of San Francisco; John William Tobin, 39, of San Francisco, and Filiberto Poblano Perez, 52, of Richmond, were working as site safety representative, project manager, and foreman, respectively. Each was charged with four counts of violation of a safety standard resulting in death of an employee, in addition to involuntary manslaughter. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261019-Trench-Collapse-KQED-b4c12376.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105153\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261019-Trench-Collapse-KQED-b4c12376.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261019-Trench-Collapse-KQED-b4c12376-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261019-Trench-Collapse-KQED-b4c12376-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco firefighters responded to a trench collapse near Oak and Divisadero Streets in San Francisco on Sept. 28, 2023. The victim, 24-year-old Javier Romero, died trapped below ground. (Courtesy of the San Francisco Fire Department)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is a life that did not need to be lost,” San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said as she announced the charges on Monday. “This was an act that could have been prevented had those who have been charged, as well as this company, acted as they should have to protect this worker and to make sure that this project was safe. And we will hold them accountable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Matt McCarthy, chief of the San Francisco District Attorney’s White Collar Crime Division, said the company can be fined up to $1.5 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s actually been an extension of that amount, but that extension came after this incident took place. So going forward, it’d be in the several millions, but right now it’s capped at $1.5 million,” McCarthy said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>McCarthy said that there can be collateral consequences for the company as well, like restrictions on acquiring future government contracts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An inspection by CAL/OSHA found that the 2.5-foot-wide, 5-foot-long, and 8-foot-deep excavation was not properly supported, in violation of the safety regulations governing excavations found in the California Code of Regulations. In 2024, the agency fined the company $371,100 for the safety failure.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jenkins said that D’Arcy & Harty Construction had been the subject of a safety complaint about an inadequately supported trench on another project less than three weeks before the deadly excavation collapse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“All of them, based on our collection of evidence, were knowledgeable and had been trained on these safety regulations and what was required to ensure that that trench was safe,” Jenkins said. “And two of them were present at the site and knew that the trench had not been supported as it should have been.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Darcy, Poblano Perez and the company have all been arraigned and pleaded not guilty. The men have been released on the condition that they surrender their passports, not leave the state of California without the court’s permission and not supervise any employees or act in any capacity governing safety on a construction site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jenkins said that John William Tobin, the final defendant, has not surrendered yet to date, and that she is working with his attorney to have him do so. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>D’Arcy & Harty Construction did not respond to a request for comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The next court date is the preliminary hearing set for Nov. 14.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission contracted with D’Arcy & Harty Construction, Inc., for a sewer tunnel rehabilitation project in the city’s Lower Haight neighborhood in September 2023. Javier Romero of Alameda, 24, was working in a narrow trench near the corner of Oak and Divisadero Streets when a passing heavy vehicle caused it to collapse. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The defendants, John Finbarr Darcy, 62, of San Francisco; John William Tobin, 39, of San Francisco, and Filiberto Poblano Perez, 52, of Richmond, were working as site safety representative, project manager, and foreman, respectively. Each was charged with four counts of violation of a safety standard resulting in death of an employee, in addition to involuntary manslaughter. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is a life that did not need to be lost,” San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said as she announced the charges on Monday. “This was an act that could have been prevented had those who have been charged, as well as this company, acted as they should have to protect this worker and to make sure that this project was safe. And we will hold them accountable.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>McCarthy said that there can be collateral consequences for the company as well, like restrictions on acquiring future government contracts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>An inspection by CAL/OSHA found that the 2.5-foot-wide, 5-foot-long, and 8-foot-deep excavation was not properly supported, in violation of the safety regulations governing excavations found in the California Code of Regulations. In 2024, the agency fined the company $371,100 for the safety failure.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Darcy, Poblano Perez and the company have all been arraigned and pleaded not guilty. The men have been released on the condition that they surrender their passports, not leave the state of California without the court’s permission and not supervise any employees or act in any capacity governing safety on a construction site. \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "District Attorney Brooke Jenkins accused the defendants of failing to ensure the project was safe before a worker was buried alive.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-district-attorney\">San Francisco prosecutors\u003c/a> announced on Monday that they have filed felony involuntary manslaughter charges against a construction company and three of its employees in connection with a trench collapse that killed a worker in 2023. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission contracted with D’Arcy & Harty Construction, Inc., for a sewer tunnel rehabilitation project in the city’s Lower Haight neighborhood in September 2023. Javier Romero of Alameda, 24, was working in a narrow trench near the corner of Oak and Divisadero Streets when a passing heavy vehicle caused it to collapse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Romero was buried alive and died of asphyxia. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The defendants, John Finbarr Darcy, 62, of San Francisco; John William Tobin, 39, of San Francisco, and Filiberto Poblano Perez, 52, of Richmond, were working as site safety representative, project manager, and foreman, respectively. Each was charged with four counts of violation of a safety standard resulting in death of an employee, in addition to involuntary manslaughter. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261019-Trench-Collapse-KQED-b4c12376.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105153\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261019-Trench-Collapse-KQED-b4c12376.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261019-Trench-Collapse-KQED-b4c12376-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261019-Trench-Collapse-KQED-b4c12376-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco firefighters responded to a trench collapse near Oak and Divisadero Streets in San Francisco on Sept. 28, 2023. The victim, 24-year-old Javier Romero, died trapped below ground. (Courtesy of the San Francisco Fire Department)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is a life that did not need to be lost,” San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said as she announced the charges on Monday. “This was an act that could have been prevented had those who have been charged, as well as this company, acted as they should have to protect this worker and to make sure that this project was safe. And we will hold them accountable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Matt McCarthy, chief of the San Francisco District Attorney’s White Collar Crime Division, said the company can be fined up to $1.5 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s actually been an extension of that amount, but that extension came after this incident took place. So going forward, it’d be in the several millions, but right now it’s capped at $1.5 million,” McCarthy said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>McCarthy said that there can be collateral consequences for the company as well, like restrictions on acquiring future government contracts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An inspection by CAL/OSHA found that the 2.5-foot-wide, 5-foot-long, and 8-foot-deep excavation was not properly supported, in violation of the safety regulations governing excavations found in the California Code of Regulations. In 2024, the agency fined the company $371,100 for the safety failure.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jenkins said that D’Arcy & Harty Construction had been the subject of a safety complaint about an inadequately supported trench on another project less than three weeks before the deadly excavation collapse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“All of them, based on our collection of evidence, were knowledgeable and had been trained on these safety regulations and what was required to ensure that that trench was safe,” Jenkins said. “And two of them were present at the site and knew that the trench had not been supported as it should have been.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Darcy, Poblano Perez and the company have all been arraigned and pleaded not guilty. The men have been released on the condition that they surrender their passports, not leave the state of California without the court’s permission and not supervise any employees or act in any capacity governing safety on a construction site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jenkins said that John William Tobin, the final defendant, has not surrendered yet to date, and that she is working with his attorney to have him do so. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>D’Arcy & Harty Construction did not respond to a request for comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The next court date is the preliminary hearing set for Nov. 14.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>An elderly man has returned to a part-time job at an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> market after the union representing workers at the store got him temporarily fired for refusing to pay a sudden $3,700 membership bill. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The incident, which labor experts said is rare, points to a decadeslong debate about individual workers’ rights and the power of labor unions in a place like California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California is one of 24 states where unions can get private-sector employees terminated under common “\u003ca href=\"https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/your-rights/employer-union-rights-and-obligations\">union-security\u003c/a>” contract agreements with employers, which require all members of a bargaining unit to pay dues as a condition of employment.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Objecting employees can opt out of full union membership, paying instead generally lower fees for direct representation that don’t cover other union activities, such as political lobbying. Nationwide, 26 states have different “right-to-work” laws making union dues payment voluntary. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Philip Holland was let go by the \u003ca href=\"https://villagemkt.com/about-us/\">Village Market\u003c/a> in the Upper Rockridge area last month at the urging of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5, which represents most of the 30 employees at the family-run grocery store.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261013-UNIONTERMINATION-02-BL-KQED-68cc9706.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104167\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261013-UNIONTERMINATION-02-BL-KQED-68cc9706.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261013-UNIONTERMINATION-02-BL-KQED-68cc9706-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261013-UNIONTERMINATION-02-BL-KQED-68cc9706-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Village Market, a family-owned grocery store, in Oakland on Oct. 13, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The union first contacted Holland, an 86-year-old Navy veteran, four years after he began working six-hour, bi-weekly shifts, subsequently demanding $3,676 in back dues and a $400 initiation fee, according to the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, which filed charges before federal regulators on behalf of Holland on Sept. 23. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The nonprofit organization, which labor advocates and progressive groups consider anti-union, alleges UFCW representatives waited too long to ask Holland for retroactive pay and failed to notify him that he could choose a reduced amount — charges the union denies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Holland declined to speak with KQED through representatives at the foundation. But the organization’s vice president, Patrick Semmens, said Holland, an Oakland resident who worked decades in law enforcement before retiring, was surprised, disappointed and angry when he called to inquire about his plight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He suddenly found himself facing a big threat over, ‘Hey, you better pay us thousands of dollars in back dues or we’re going to have you fired.’ And that’s kind of the exact type of situation that we provide free legal assistance to employees in,” said Semmens, adding that the foundation handles about 250 cases per year of workers who allege unions violated their rights.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By the end of September, UFCW officials had backtracked and asked Keith Trimble, the Village Market’s owner and operator, to reinstate Holland. He returned to work last Wednesday, according to Trimble.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The independent grocery store, owned by Trimble’s family since 1974, has terminated a handful of other employees because of nonpayment of union dues, as stated in the market’s labor contract with UFCW, Trimble said. But Holland was the first worker that the union requested be rehired.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I had a good employee, and through the contract I was required to let them go,” he said. “All I know officially is that for whatever reason they figured they didn’t follow whatever procedures and asked me if I could take him back, and I said yes.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>UFCW Local 5 represents about 25,000 retail and agricultural employees from Salinas to Eureka, including in the Bay Area. David Rosenfeld, an attorney for the union, stressed that it almost never asks employers to terminate someone.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The union sent Holland a letter with all his rights and benefits of union representation in May or June, shortly after it became aware that Holland was working at the market, Rosenfeld said. It’s unclear why the union didn’t reach out to Holland earlier, though Rosenfeld partly blamed Holland and the employer for not coming forward. The union has since acknowledged that waiting more than three years to collect back fees for membership was too long. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We should have perhaps been more diligent about this. So that’s why we said, ‘Put him back to work. Start over again,’” Rosenfeld said, adding that the union is now asking Holland to pay fees going forward. “We corrected it, realizing that asking him to pay three years back was unfair under these circumstances.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About one in 10 wage and salaried workers were unionized in 2025 compared to one in five four decades ago, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.nr0.htm\">U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics\u003c/a>. Full-time union employees have higher earnings and \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/press/new-report-details-the-benefits-of-unions-to-workers-communities-and-democracy/\">access to benefits\u003c/a> than employees of nonunion workplaces.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Most U.S. private-sector workers have the right to bargain collectively through chosen representatives without employer coercion or retaliation. Yet, workers are far more likely to lose their jobs for trying to join unions than for not paying union fees, several labor experts told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1123\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12015107\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-800x449.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-1020x573.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-1536x862.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-1920x1078.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Charges before federal regulators allege UFCW Local 5 got an 86-year-old unlawfully fired for refusing to pay a sudden $3,700 membership bill, which the union denies. (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s not even in the same universe,” said Cathy Creighton, a former attorney at the National Labor Relations Board in New York. The federal agency investigates charges of unfair labor practices.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s so much more likely for an employer to fire an employee for their union activities than it is for a union to ask the employer to terminate an employee for not paying fee dues,” said Creighton, who directs a research initiative at Cornell University’s Industrial and Labor Relations School. “There’s really no comparison.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Unions must notify employees that they can choose limited membership, meaning a labor contract will cover them, but they will pay a share of dues for only direct representation costs like bargaining and grievance handling. These so-called ‘Beck rights’ are named after a lawsuit that led the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in 1988 that workers could reject compulsory fees if they objected to a union’s political or ideological activities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bill Gould, who chaired the National Labor Relations Board in 1995 when it began requiring unions to inform new members of their Beck rights, said he disagrees in principle with the SCOTUS distinction between full and limited union membership as unions advocate for workers in different ways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There never should have been a demarcation between expenditures that go toward collective bargaining and those that don’t,” Gould said. “Because unions have a wide-ranging role to provide all kinds of services for the people that they represent, which they think are important, including politics.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said it’s unclear how often unions fail to notify new members of their Beck rights. But Gould, an emeritus professor at Stanford Law School, suspects many employees at unionized workplaces are not aware of this option.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s not in the interest of unions to publicize this kind of thing,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California is one of 24 states where unions can get private-sector employees terminated under common “\u003ca href=\"https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/your-rights/employer-union-rights-and-obligations\">union-security\u003c/a>” contract agreements with employers, which require all members of a bargaining unit to pay dues as a condition of employment.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Objecting employees can opt out of full union membership, paying instead generally lower fees for direct representation that don’t cover other union activities, such as political lobbying. Nationwide, 26 states have different “right-to-work” laws making union dues payment voluntary. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Philip Holland was let go by the \u003ca href=\"https://villagemkt.com/about-us/\">Village Market\u003c/a> in the Upper Rockridge area last month at the urging of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5, which represents most of the 30 employees at the family-run grocery store.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The union first contacted Holland, an 86-year-old Navy veteran, four years after he began working six-hour, bi-weekly shifts, subsequently demanding $3,676 in back dues and a $400 initiation fee, according to the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, which filed charges before federal regulators on behalf of Holland on Sept. 23. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The nonprofit organization, which labor advocates and progressive groups consider anti-union, alleges UFCW representatives waited too long to ask Holland for retroactive pay and failed to notify him that he could choose a reduced amount — charges the union denies.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Holland declined to speak with KQED through representatives at the foundation. But the organization’s vice president, Patrick Semmens, said Holland, an Oakland resident who worked decades in law enforcement before retiring, was surprised, disappointed and angry when he called to inquire about his plight. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Holland declined to speak with KQED through representatives at the foundation. But the organization’s vice president, Patrick Semmens, said Holland, an Oakland resident who worked decades in law enforcement before retiring, was surprised, disappointed and angry when he called to inquire about his plight. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He suddenly found himself facing a big threat over, ‘Hey, you better pay us thousands of dollars in back dues or we’re going to have you fired.’ And that’s kind of the exact type of situation that we provide free legal assistance to employees in,” said Semmens, adding that the foundation handles about 250 cases per year of workers who allege unions violated their rights.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>By the end of September, UFCW officials had backtracked and asked Keith Trimble, the Village Market’s owner and operator, to reinstate Holland. He returned to work last Wednesday, according to Trimble.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The independent grocery store, owned by Trimble’s family since 1974, has terminated a handful of other employees because of nonpayment of union dues, as stated in the market’s labor contract with UFCW, Trimble said. But Holland was the first worker that the union requested be rehired.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I had a good employee, and through the contract I was required to let them go,” he said. “All I know officially is that for whatever reason they figured they didn’t follow whatever procedures and asked me if I could take him back, and I said yes.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I had a good employee, and through the contract I was required to let them go,” he said. “All I know officially is that for whatever reason they figured they didn’t follow whatever procedures and asked me if I could take him back, and I said yes.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>UFCW Local 5 represents about 25,000 retail and agricultural employees from Salinas to Eureka, including in the Bay Area. David Rosenfeld, an attorney for the union, stressed that it almost never asks employers to terminate someone.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>UFCW Local 5 represents about 25,000 retail and agricultural employees from Salinas to Eureka, including in the Bay Area. David Rosenfeld, an attorney for the union, stressed that it almost never asks employers to terminate someone.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The union sent Holland a letter with all his rights and benefits of union representation in May or June, shortly after it became aware that Holland was working at the market, Rosenfeld said. It’s unclear why the union didn’t reach out to Holland earlier, though Rosenfeld partly blamed Holland and the employer for not coming forward. The union has since acknowledged that waiting more than three years to collect back fees for membership was too long. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The union sent Holland a letter with all his rights and benefits of union representation in May or June, shortly after it became aware that Holland was working at the market, Rosenfeld said. It’s unclear why the union didn’t reach out to Holland earlier, though Rosenfeld partly blamed Holland and the employer for not coming forward. The union has since acknowledged that waiting more than three years to collect back fees for membership was too long. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We should have perhaps been more diligent about this. So that’s why we said, ‘Put him back to work. Start over again,’” Rosenfeld said, adding that the union is now asking Holland to pay fees going forward. “We corrected it, realizing that asking him to pay three years back was unfair under these circumstances.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>About one in 10 wage and salaried workers were unionized in 2025 compared to one in five four decades ago, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.nr0.htm\">U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics\u003c/a>. Full-time union employees have higher earnings and \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/press/new-report-details-the-benefits-of-unions-to-workers-communities-and-democracy/\">access to benefits\u003c/a> than employees of nonunion workplaces.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>About one in 10 wage and salaried workers were unionized in 2025 compared to one in five four decades ago, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.nr0.htm\">U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics\u003c/a>. Full-time union employees have higher earnings and \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/press/new-report-details-the-benefits-of-unions-to-workers-communities-and-democracy/\">access to benefits\u003c/a> than employees of nonunion workplaces.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Most U.S. private-sector workers have the right to bargain collectively through chosen representatives without employer coercion or retaliation. Yet, workers are far more likely to lose their jobs for trying to join unions than for not paying union fees, several labor experts told KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Most U.S. private-sector workers have the right to bargain collectively through chosen representatives without employer coercion or retaliation. Yet, workers are far more likely to lose their jobs for trying to join unions than for not paying union fees, several labor experts told KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Unions must notify employees that they can choose limited membership, meaning a labor contract will cover them, but they will pay a share of dues for only direct representation costs like bargaining and grievance handling. These so-called ‘Beck rights’ are named after a lawsuit that led the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in 1988 that workers could reject compulsory fees if they objected to a union’s political or ideological activities.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said it’s unclear how often unions fail to notify new members of their Beck rights. But Gould, an emeritus professor at Stanford Law School, suspects many employees at unionized workplaces are not aware of this option.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Charges before federal regulators allege that UFCW Local 5 got an 86-year-old unlawfully fired for refusing to pay a sudden $3,700 membership bill, which the union denies.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>An elderly man has returned to a part-time job at an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> market after the union representing workers at the store got him temporarily fired for refusing to pay a sudden $3,700 membership bill. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The incident, which labor experts said is rare, points to a decadeslong debate about individual workers’ rights and the power of labor unions in a place like California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California is one of 24 states where unions can get private-sector employees terminated under common “\u003ca href=\"https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/your-rights/employer-union-rights-and-obligations\">union-security\u003c/a>” contract agreements with employers, which require all members of a bargaining unit to pay dues as a condition of employment.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Objecting employees can opt out of full union membership, paying instead generally lower fees for direct representation that don’t cover other union activities, such as political lobbying. Nationwide, 26 states have different “right-to-work” laws making union dues payment voluntary. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Philip Holland was let go by the \u003ca href=\"https://villagemkt.com/about-us/\">Village Market\u003c/a> in the Upper Rockridge area last month at the urging of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5, which represents most of the 30 employees at the family-run grocery store.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261013-UNIONTERMINATION-02-BL-KQED-68cc9706.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104167\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261013-UNIONTERMINATION-02-BL-KQED-68cc9706.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261013-UNIONTERMINATION-02-BL-KQED-68cc9706-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261013-UNIONTERMINATION-02-BL-KQED-68cc9706-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Village Market, a family-owned grocery store, in Oakland on Oct. 13, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The union first contacted Holland, an 86-year-old Navy veteran, four years after he began working six-hour, bi-weekly shifts, subsequently demanding $3,676 in back dues and a $400 initiation fee, according to the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, which filed charges before federal regulators on behalf of Holland on Sept. 23. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The nonprofit organization, which labor advocates and progressive groups consider anti-union, alleges UFCW representatives waited too long to ask Holland for retroactive pay and failed to notify him that he could choose a reduced amount — charges the union denies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Holland declined to speak with KQED through representatives at the foundation. But the organization’s vice president, Patrick Semmens, said Holland, an Oakland resident who worked decades in law enforcement before retiring, was surprised, disappointed and angry when he called to inquire about his plight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He suddenly found himself facing a big threat over, ‘Hey, you better pay us thousands of dollars in back dues or we’re going to have you fired.’ And that’s kind of the exact type of situation that we provide free legal assistance to employees in,” said Semmens, adding that the foundation handles about 250 cases per year of workers who allege unions violated their rights.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By the end of September, UFCW officials had backtracked and asked Keith Trimble, the Village Market’s owner and operator, to reinstate Holland. He returned to work last Wednesday, according to Trimble.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The independent grocery store, owned by Trimble’s family since 1974, has terminated a handful of other employees because of nonpayment of union dues, as stated in the market’s labor contract with UFCW, Trimble said. But Holland was the first worker that the union requested be rehired.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I had a good employee, and through the contract I was required to let them go,” he said. “All I know officially is that for whatever reason they figured they didn’t follow whatever procedures and asked me if I could take him back, and I said yes.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>UFCW Local 5 represents about 25,000 retail and agricultural employees from Salinas to Eureka, including in the Bay Area. David Rosenfeld, an attorney for the union, stressed that it almost never asks employers to terminate someone.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The union sent Holland a letter with all his rights and benefits of union representation in May or June, shortly after it became aware that Holland was working at the market, Rosenfeld said. It’s unclear why the union didn’t reach out to Holland earlier, though Rosenfeld partly blamed Holland and the employer for not coming forward. The union has since acknowledged that waiting more than three years to collect back fees for membership was too long. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We should have perhaps been more diligent about this. So that’s why we said, ‘Put him back to work. Start over again,’” Rosenfeld said, adding that the union is now asking Holland to pay fees going forward. “We corrected it, realizing that asking him to pay three years back was unfair under these circumstances.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About one in 10 wage and salaried workers were unionized in 2025 compared to one in five four decades ago, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.nr0.htm\">U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics\u003c/a>. Full-time union employees have higher earnings and \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/press/new-report-details-the-benefits-of-unions-to-workers-communities-and-democracy/\">access to benefits\u003c/a> than employees of nonunion workplaces.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Most U.S. private-sector workers have the right to bargain collectively through chosen representatives without employer coercion or retaliation. Yet, workers are far more likely to lose their jobs for trying to join unions than for not paying union fees, several labor experts told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1123\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12015107\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-800x449.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-1020x573.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-1536x862.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/OaklandGetty-1920x1078.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Charges before federal regulators allege UFCW Local 5 got an 86-year-old unlawfully fired for refusing to pay a sudden $3,700 membership bill, which the union denies. (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s not even in the same universe,” said Cathy Creighton, a former attorney at the National Labor Relations Board in New York. The federal agency investigates charges of unfair labor practices.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s so much more likely for an employer to fire an employee for their union activities than it is for a union to ask the employer to terminate an employee for not paying fee dues,” said Creighton, who directs a research initiative at Cornell University’s Industrial and Labor Relations School. “There’s really no comparison.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Unions must notify employees that they can choose limited membership, meaning a labor contract will cover them, but they will pay a share of dues for only direct representation costs like bargaining and grievance handling. These so-called ‘Beck rights’ are named after a lawsuit that led the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in 1988 that workers could reject compulsory fees if they objected to a union’s political or ideological activities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bill Gould, who chaired the National Labor Relations Board in 1995 when it began requiring unions to inform new members of their Beck rights, said he disagrees in principle with the SCOTUS distinction between full and limited union membership as unions advocate for workers in different ways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There never should have been a demarcation between expenditures that go toward collective bargaining and those that don’t,” Gould said. “Because unions have a wide-ranging role to provide all kinds of services for the people that they represent, which they think are important, including politics.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said it’s unclear how often unions fail to notify new members of their Beck rights. But Gould, an emeritus professor at Stanford Law School, suspects many employees at unionized workplaces are not aware of this option.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s not in the interest of unions to publicize this kind of thing,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
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"order": 10
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
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},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
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"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
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"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
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"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"meta": {
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"meta": {
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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}
},
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"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
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"id": "freakonomics-radio",
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"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
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},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
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"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
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},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
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},
"how-i-built-this": {
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"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
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},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
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},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
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}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
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},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
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"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
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"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
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