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The California Teachers Association (CTA) and SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, two of California’s most influential unions, have found themselves at odds over state budget and tax issues. Both unions are backing different candidates in the upcoming governor’s race, with each candidate promising to pursue the unions’ respective goals. The CTA, which has supported education funding provisions in the state budget, has opposed SEIU-UHW’s proposed 5% wealth tax on California’s billionaires to fund healthcare, fearing it could undermine support for a teachers’ union-sponsored measure to make permanent a surtax on the state’s wealthiest residents.
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Welcome to CalMatters, a newsroom focusing solely on state-wide California issues that impact all Californians.
This piece is part of California Voices, a commentary series that broadens our understanding of the state and highlights Californians directly affected by policy or its lack thereof. Learn more here.
The Founding of the California Teachers Association
In 1863, John Swett, California’s superintendent of public instruction, founded the California Educational Society. From this genesis emerged the powerful California Teachers Association (CTA), a trade union that advocates for teachers across the state.
The CTA, collecting dues from 300,000+ members, spends a significant portion of its revenue on lobbying and campaign contributions. Among many advocacy groups in California, the CTA holds substantial influence, with its greatest achievement being the passage of Proposition 98.
The Complexities of California’s Budget Allocation
Every year, as budget deliberations ensue, a key focus is determining school allocations based on the intricacies of Prop. 98. However, a rising contender for fiscal dominance is health care coverage through Medi-Cal, a program that serves 14 million low-income Californians. The state is spending nearly $200 billion on Medi-Cal this fiscal year alone.
Fiscal Tensions Rising Between CTA and SEIU-UHW
Reductions in federal aid have led to pressure from the SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) union, a rival to the CTA. Both unions have clashed over the limited budget, especially during this year’s gubernatorial race and disagreements over state budget details. Consequently, this has resulted in a clash between SEIU-UHW and the CTA.
Implications of New Ballot Measures
The greatest conflict yet is over a ballot measure sponsored by SEIU-UHW that proposes a 5% tax on California’s billionaires to boost health care funding. CTA opposes this measure, fearing it may jeopardize their own ballot measure to make a surtax on the state’s wealthiest residents permanent. This clash between two aligned unions is a significant event in California’s political landscape.
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