Early today, I wrote about the role of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in setting California on a collision course with federal immigration enforcement. Now it’s clear that SEIU is already leveraging the riots — and the arrest of union president David Huerta on a federal charge of conspiracy to impede an officer — to wrangle a big win in the state legislature.

“The Legislature’s Monday budget plan included some welcomed news to state workers: a flat-out rejection of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to freeze state workers’ salaries,” the Sacramento Bee reports.

“At a time when labor unions are under attack, we applaud and thank the State Legislature for standing with state employees,” Anica Walls, Service Employees International Union Local 1000’s president, said in a statement.