On Tuesday evening, hundreds of workers with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) congregated at the steps of the Capitol to voice their frustrations with how the state legislature is handling the budget.

Yvonne Walker, President of the SEIU, opened the rally with a fiery speech about how state workers “are on the tipping point,” with the continued proposals to cut state workers’ pay and adding a third furlough day.

Walker described the two-day furlough already in place for state workers as “the equivalent of one month’s pay.” She explained an additional day of unpaid leave would increase the financial burden on state workers, causing some to lose their homes.

Workers were well aware of this possibility as they walked circles around the Capitol lawn, some waving signs that read, “The future face of poverty.”

The impacts of pay-cuts have had severe effects on the lives of the workers.

“I have two children and I cannot afford a fifteen percent pay cut as a single mother,” said Kendra White, a tax technician. She added, “I already can’t pay my bills,” though the further proposed cuts have yet to be implemented.

Richard Wilcox Jr. is an employment program representative who processes employment insurance claims forms. He attended the protest in solidarity for his fellow workers.

“Some of them are at a point where they are actually filing for unemployment insurance claims forms,” seeking the exact help they provide as a part of their job, he said.

Some of the rally attendees held up signs that referenced the safety and well-being of their children. “I’m having to make choices about my kids being in daycare, and in a potentially dangerous situation” said Angela Ramirez, a DMV employee.

“I had to actually check with child services to see if it was okay to leave her home for a few hours out of the day until the lunch hour when I could come home,” Ramirez said.

She touched on current situations at her office that reflect the effects of the budget cuts on the community as a whole. “We’re backlogged, and customers are disappointed that the services are taking a lot longer.”

These services include filing paperwork dealing with DUI offenders. “Getting drunk drivers off the road is getting longer. The paperwork is taking longer,” she remarked.

“We’re doing a disservice to the community, not only the workers but the state of California,” Ramirez said.

Members of the SEIU have pin-pointed many ways to re-direct pressure off of state workers. “We’ve identified $34.7 billion in private outsourced contracts,” Walker said, hoping that the amount of money pouring into private contracts is reduced.

“One idea which I have,” said Wilcox, “is basically we start taxing oil companies for the oil that they drill out of ca public land.” The same is currently done in Alaska where they “actually make enough money where every year the Alaska state government sends its citizens checks.”

While he does not think the possibility of drilling an equivalent amount of oil in California is possible to generate that income, “it could at least offset the hurt.”

The SEIU planned to have a candle-light vigil and spend the night on the Capitol lawn, but some of the coordinators called it off because it looked like the legislature was not going to be in session that evening.

The protest at the Capitol Tuesday evening was a precursor to today’s rally. The SEIU expects over 2,000 workers to convene at the Capitol around noon to rally against the projected cuts.