Santa Clara Co. Strike Averted: Union Employees To Vote On Contract Next Week

Photo via SEIU 521 Santa Clara County Chapter on Facebook

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Santa Clara County employees will vote next week on a tentative contract agreement reached early this morning just hours before a strike was scheduled to begin, union officials said.

County officials and representatives of Service Employees International Union Local 521 reached the four-year contract agreement around 3:30 a.m., averting a strike scheduled to start at 6 a.m., according to county officials. Both sides today said they will not release details of the deal before it is presented to the roughly 9,000 county employees represented by the union.

Union officials today said members will vote on the agreement next week. Union member Bret Russell, an estate administrator in the county’s public guardian’s office, said in a statement today that the news came as a relief.

“It was terrific news to get in the early morning hours that we were able to reach an agreement and avert a strike,” Russell said. “Many of us who work directly with clients, and are charged with their welfare and well-being, are just relieved we can go with our work day and do our job.”

• Previous:
• Judge Rules 500 ‘Essential’ Santa Clara Co. Workers Can Not Strike
• Union For Santa Clara County Workers Vote To Strike

The county had sought an injunction Monday to block 2,106 workers it considered “essential” from striking, but a judge ruled that only 475 workers had to stay on the job if a strike was called, union officials said. County supervisors will vote on the agreement after it is ratified by employees.

“We are pleased that after negotiating through much of the night, the county and SEIU were able to reach a tentative agreement,” County Executive Jeff Smith said in a statement today.

“Although the agreement has to be ratified by its members, the strike has been averted and residents will be able to access all county services today and during the weeks ahead,” Smith said.

SEIU represents workers from a number of county departments such as 911 county communications, the health and hospital system and social services.

--Bay City News