'Defiance for Science:' Striking scientists leave the lab to hit the streets of Redding

For the first time in 46 years, scientists working for the state of California went on strike this week, holding out for better wages.

A group of more than 30 of them gathered in Redding on Friday morning outside the California Department of Fish and Wildlife office on Locust Street, carrying signs saying "Defiance for Science" and waving to passersby to raise public awareness of their effort to get better pay.

From their starting point on Locust Street, they planned to march, signs in hand, to Cypress Avenue and then up to Hemsted Drive, where more scientists work in state agency offices.

Members of the California Association of Professional Scientists have been without a contract for three years, said Ashley Worth, an environmental scientist for the department of fish and wildlife.

"With the cost of living that has gone up, as far as the cost of food, cost of fuel, cost of just everything in general, it's been really a struggle to make ends meet," Worth said.

While she enjoys a relatively lower cost of living in the North State, many of her colleagues who live in the pricey Bay Area, Los Angeles or Sacramento areas face even more financial difficulties, she said.

The CAPS union, formed in 1977, represents about 5,200 people across more than 50 state departments. Worth said this week's strike is the first in the union's history.

More than 1,000 state scientists in California took to the picket line Thursday in Sacramento on day two of a three-day strike, calling for higher wages for work they say often goes unrecognized in a state that sets environmental policy trends on the national and global stage, according to the Associated Press.

CAPS decided to strike after three years of stalled contract negotiations, President Jacqueline Tkac told the AP. The push for a better contract began when state scientists were furloughed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We're not here to settle for anything less than the fair pay and respect that we deserve,” Tkac said. “We hope that the state can recognize the opportunity that we have in front of us.”

The strike comes during a big year for labor, one in which health care professionals, Hollywood actors and writers, and auto workers picketed for better pay and working conditions. It also comes amid new California laws granting workers more paid sick leave and increased wages for health care and fast food workers.

Friday's picket in Redding included employees from the California Regional Water Quality Board, Department of Water Resources, Department of Toxic Substances Control, Department of Public Health and California Department of Transportation.

One woman in Redding carried a sign that said "We protect public health, the environment & you."

During the strike, picketers in Redding said workers were not being paid enough.

The scientists — whose work includes creating earthquake warning systems, protecting wildlife and reducing air pollution — also picketed outside of the California Environmental Protection Agency building in downtown Sacramento. Most wore green shirts representing their union and many held signs that read, “Scientists Strike Back” and “Defiance for Science."

Drivers including firefighters honked in support as they drove by.

Tkac accused Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration of boasting about the state’s leadership on climate policy without recognizing those who do the work. “Nobody wants to be here, but we have to,” Tkac said.

The union says state scientists are paid 40% to 60% less than professionals in comparable positions doing similar work.

The state says it has been working to reach a fair deal with the scientists. The California Department of Human Resources recently filed a complaint of unfair labor practices against the union in an attempt to prevent the strike.

The department said Wednesday it was disappointed by the walkout and that the state continues to bargain “in good faith.” Camille Travis, a department spokesperson, said the union sought mediation then called for the strike before that process concluded, the AP said.

The state will continue working toward a fair agreement with the union, as it has with other bargaining units, Travis wrote in an email. She said the state “has taken steps to ensure that service to the public continues with as little disruption as possible.”

Kelsey Navarre, an environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said it is important for people to recognize the wide-ranging work that state scientists provide, including conserving natural resources, monitoring food safety and protecting public health.

“It's really hard to be able to make a living — especially in some of these larger cities like Sacramento and L.A. and in the Bay Area — on the salary that we get working for the state,” Navarre told the AP.

Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story tips at 530-338-8834, by email at damon.arthur@redding.com and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @damonarthur_RS. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today!

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Striking scientists leave the lab to hit the streets of Redding