Workers point to unlawful contract violations, including intimidation and censorship, and call on City officials to address the staffing crises jeopardizing essential public services.
SANTA CRUZ, CA – On Tuesday, September 13, Santa Cruz City workers, represented by Service Employees International Union Local 521, announced they voted 95% to REJECT management’s last, best, and final offer (LBFO) and authorize an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike. Following months of failed negotiations that include unlawful contract violations, and intimidation tactics, City workers are demanding solutions to address failures in public works, libraries, and wastewater, jeopardizing crucial services that Santa Cruz relies on to function. An official strike date is set to be announced.
City workers were joined during the press conference by former District 27 Assemblymember and candidate for City of Santa Cruz Mayor, Fred Keeley. Cesar Lara, Executive VP of the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, also attended and announced the labor council authorized an official strike sanction.
The following statements were provided during the press conference in front of City Hall:
“Right now, the workers that sanitize and process your water, pick up your trash, support your libraries and keep our parks safe are burning out because we need staffing support,” said David Tannaci, SEIU 521 member and Engineer Tech with the Water Department. “I join with 95% of my co-workers who voted to reject the City’s last offer and authorize our bargaining team to call for an unfair labor practice strike if necessary to resolve the issues essential City workers face.”
“I join with hundreds of my SEIU 521 colleagues in rejecting the City’s last offer and voted to strike over unfair labor practices,” said Gabriela Salinas-Holz, Parking Control Tech and SEIU 521 member. “We came out in mass numbers to express our discontent and continued concern with the City’s dismissal of the staffing impacting all of our departments.”
“Workers do not take the power of withholding their labor lightly. Voting to authorize a strike is a serious action only taken when the rest of the good faith bargaining collapses. I am here to say I believe that each of you deserves the living wages, the respect, the care, and attention for the great public service work you do every day.” – Fred Keeley, Former Assembly member and Candidate for City of Santa Cruz Mayor.
Download Full Press Conference Video
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Service Employees International Union, Local 521 represents 60,000 public-and nonprofit, private-sector workers in California’s Bay Area, the Central Coast, and the Central Valley. Under a Community First vision, we are committed to making sure the needs of our community, and the vital services we provide our community, come first. We believe our communities thrive when residents, leaders, and workers recognize that we are all in this together when it comes to our safety, health, and well-being.
