STATE SCIENTISTS DELIVER PETITIONS, WARN GOVERNOR AND STATE LEADERS THAT PAY INEQUITY PUTS VITAL PROGRAMS AT RISK
California Association of Professional Scientists urges Newsom to fix hiring and retention failings
State leaders for years have said they value science but, unfortunately, our wages indicate they don’t value scientists.”
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, USA, May 6, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Activists with the California Association of Professional Scientists (CAPS) this afternoon took giant-sized petitions to several state government leaders – including Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office – warning that recruiting and retention problems triggered by years of inadequate salaries now threaten the Golden State’s ability to fight everything from climate change and species extinctions to agricultural outbreaks and pollution.— Justin D. Garcia
“Our members have helped build California into a global leader in using science to shape policies that fight climate change, species extinctions, pollution, food insecurity, diseases and other challenges threatening our world,” said CAPS Secretary Justin D. Garcia. “State leaders for years have said they value science but, unfortunately, our wages indicate they don’t value scientists.”
The march highlighted a longstanding salary that has touched off a damaging institutional brain drain within science-based state programs, as scientists leave for better-paying jobs and take their intimate program knowledge with them.
Thousands of concerned scientists and citizens signed the 5-foot by 9-foot petitions urging the state to increase scientists’ wages. CAPS members delivered the petitions to the Downtown Sacramento headquarters of the state Environmental Protection Agency, the Natural Resources Agency, the Department of Food & Agriculture, the Health and Human Services Agency and Newsom’s office at 10th and O streets.
CAPS has been bargaining for two years to reach an agreement with the Newsom administration to close a pay gap of 30% to 50% relative to similar positions in federal, state, and local governments. While two years of budget surpluses have allowed the Newsom administration to boost spending on scientific programs by billions of dollars, it has yet to offer a competitive salary package to CAPS. The union’s last labor agreement with the state expired July 1, 2020. Under state law, the expired contract’s terms remain in effect until a new agreement is in place.
Jon Ortiz
California Association of Professional Scientists
+1 916-761-8267
jortiz@capsscientists.org
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