Santa Cruz City Workers Secure Strong Raises and Safety Protections in New Agreement; Strike Averted

Santa Cruz, CA – After months of negotiations, work actions, and a public awareness campaign, SEIU Local 521, representing more than 800 City of Santa Cruz workers, has reached a Tentative Agreement (TA) with the City that delivers competitive wage increases and enhanced safety protections.

The new agreement provides 13.5% across the board cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) over three years, eliminates the City’s mandatory 2.5% retirement contribution for SEIU 521 union members, and reduces employee CalPERS contributions to zero over the life of the contract. Additional victories include bilingual pay, compounding longevity pay, and higher reimbursements for mechanic tools.

The new agreement also establishes enhanced safety provisions, including updated workplace safety protocols, stronger protections for employees in high-risk positions, like Paid Trauma Leave and increase to Hazard Pay. Paid Trauma Leave will provide a full-day of paid leave if a worker experiences a traumatic event while on duty. These additions help restore confidence for residents and workers dedicated to making Santa Cruz a safe, thriving, and enjoyable place to live and work.

“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. 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.” – Ken Bare, SEIU 521 City of Santa Cruz Chapter President

##

Service Employees International Union, Local 521 represents 73,000 public-and non-profits, and 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 regarding our safety, health, and well-being.

https://www.seiu521.org/press-release/santa-cruz-city-workers-secure-strong-raises-and-safety-protections-in-new-agreement-strike-averted