Santa Cruz, city workers strike tentative agreement; union vote still pending

City of Santa Cruz workers reached a tentative agreement with the city for a new contract on Tuesday after months of negotiations. The union still has to hold a vote among its members to approve of the deal, which includes a 13.5% pay hike over the next three years and paid leave for employees who experience traumatic incidents at work.

The workers, represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 521, had raised many familiar concerns in recent months, including the high cost of living, a need for better staffing levels and general difficulty retaining employees.

“This agreement represents a major victory for Santa Cruz City workers and our residents. We will move closer to market standards and bring classifications closer to parity,” said Ken Bare, SEIU City of Santa Cruz chapter president, bargaining team member and parking services employee. “We are proud to have earned the respect and dignity we have fought so hard to restore, especially when it comes to safety and respect for our workforce.”

The city workers’ most recent three-year contract expired Oct. 10. The union and city reached that agreement following a three-day strike in fall 2022, the first in the city’s history. That contract included a 12% raise over three years, as well as $1,800 bonuses for all members and salary adjustment payments for some positions that were considered underpaid.

A union source previously told Lookout that workers were seeking a pay hike higher than 12% over the course of the next contract. According to a news release from SEIU, the new agreement includes 13.5% cost-of-living adjustments over the next three years and also includes additional pay for bilingual workers, workers with a long tenure with the city, and higher reimbursements for mechanic tools. Currently, city workers are required to pay 2.5% of their paycheck toward their retirement each pay period. The new agreement would bring that number down to zero over the next three years, at which point the city would cover it completely.

City workers had also sounded the alarm on workplace safety, accusing the city of mishandling physical and sexual harassment incidents experienced by library, parking and sanitation workers by some members of the public. The new agreement also includes new safety measures, according to the release, specifically paid trauma leave. That provides a full day of paid leave if a worker has a traumatic experience while on duty. 

Santa Cruz City Manager Matt Huffaker told Lookout that negotiations have been “productive and collaborative,” and that he hopes the parties reach a final agreement soon. He said the city will share more information upon union approval of the agreement.

The union will vote on whether to ratify the agreement next Wednesday, Nov. 12.

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FOR THE RECORD: This story has been updated with comments from Santa Cruz City Manager Matt Huffaker.

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