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Novato city workers plan to strike for 2nd day Wednesday over sales tax funds
Novato city street maintenance workers, building inspectors, park and recreation coordinators, and city planners are planning to strike for a second day on Wednesday over contract negotiations and staffing shortages. They say the city is not dedicating to workers additional revenue generated by Measure M, an increase in a sales tax that voters approved in November.
NOVATO, Calif. - City workers in Novato went back to work Friday after a three-day strike that union leaders hailed as a success in their ongoing contract negotiations with the city.
Back on the job
What we know:
Members of Service Employees International Union Local 1021 and city leaders also returned to the bargaining table Thursday and the two sides are scheduled to continue working on a labor agreement next Wednesday, city officials announced Friday.
The union represents maintenance workers, building inspectors, parks and recreation coordinators, city planners and office assistants.
In addition to SEIU Local1021, the Novato Police Managers Association and Police Officers Association are also in contract talks with the city.
Agreement reached
City officials said that they reached an agreement last month with the Novato Police Civilian Employees Association, which includes dispatchers and community service officers, along with three other unrepresented employee groups that improves pay and benefits for 31 percent of city staff.
"With the same offer extended to SEIU employees, the approved agreements provide 11 percent salary increases over three years and up to an additional 13 percent equity adjustments to move positions closer to market median," city officials said in a news release Friday. "The city continues to cover 100 percent medical benefits for employees and their families, offer a flexible work schedule and provide eight additional weeks of paid parental leave."
Strength of the union
Union officials said the strike helped them gain leverage in their talks with the city.
"By going on strike, we made a strong impact, and the city was forced to respond. We were successful in getting them back to the table," said union spokesperson Ian Lee. "While SEIU 1021 membership has decided to return to work in good faith, it is our hope that the city will bargain in good faith. The union retains its right to engage in lawful concerted activity in the future."
Even though the strike is over, some Novato Parks & Recreation camps and programs won't resume, including gymnastics classes on Saturday, Camp Ton-of-Fun, Camp Ton-of-Fun Minis, Counselor In Training, and Gymnastics Full and Half Day Camp are closed through the final week of the season that ends Aug. 15.
For questions related to Parks & Recreation programs, people can contact novatofun@novato.org.
Novato city workers plan to strike for 2nd day Wednesday over sales tax funds
City workers went on strike on Tuesday over contract negotiations and staffing shortages.