City of Santa Cruz workers represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 521 (SEIU) expect to hold a strike authorization vote on Tuesday amid stalled contract negotiations with the city.
A media release from SEIU cites low wages and unsafe working conditions as main reasons for the vote, along with accusing the city of mishandling alleged physical and sexual harassment incidents experienced by library, parking and sanitation workers.
“City workers have been patient and professional but the city’s repeated mismanagement has gone too far,” said SEIU 521 bargaining team member Arden Rosenthal. “We will not stand by while public services suffer and worker safety is ignored.”
The city workers’ most recent contract expired Oct. 10. The union and city reached that agreement following a three-day strike in fall 2022 — the first in Santa Cruz city history — almost exactly three years ago.
The union will announce the results of its vote at 3 p.m. on Tuesday in front of Santa Cruz City Hall.
The City of Santa Cruz did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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