California’s minimum wage is adjusted every year for inflation. Some cities have a higher wage floor and unions are advocating bigger increases to meet rising housing costs.

Most of the $95 million raised both for and against today’s ballot measure came from fewer than 20 total contributors.

Negotiations with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 265, which represents about 1,500 transit workers, remain unresolved.

Unions won major victories in this year’s legislative session on pay for fast food and health care workers, benefits for strikers and bargaining rights. Business groups say labor has too much power at the Capitol. Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas says unions are counting on lawmakers to deliver results.

Some California hospitals have a nurse vacancy rate of 30%, stressing overworked staff and causing some to leave the industry earlier than they planned.

The mayor reaches across the council divide to involve political opponents in grassroots revitalization efforts.

A California housing law grants generous benefits to builders who agree to only hire union workers. Trouble is, few if any builders found a way to do it.

Independent political action committees were big spenders for the 2022 mayoral candidates.

With time running out, state lawmakers likely will have to choose between alienating a powerful union and streamlining affordable housing development, as construction trades are at an impasse regarding their support for key housing legislation. 

Bob Staedler, principal at Silicon Valley Synergy, no longer hosts the “Podlight" weekly podcast. The production, previously branded as a “collaboration” between Spotlight and Silicon Valley Synergy, has since dropped any reference to Staedler.