Negotiating teams for Santa Clara County and more than 1,000 county social workers reached a tentative labor agreement in the wee morning hours Thursday, Oct. 5, averting a strike scheduled to begin at 7am that very day.
The tentative agreement does not increase workloads and includes a pay increase of 8 percent during the next three years – and a 1.5 percent one-time lump sum payment – for the county’s welfare eligibility workers, social workers and program service aides. The workers are represented by the Service Employees International Union.
“We are pleased that the strike was averted and believe that the tentative agreement is fair, consistent with economic terms accepted by other county workers and balances workload issues and current fiscal constraints,” said County Executive Pete Kutras. “It allows us to live within our means and continue to deliver services.”
Negotiators for both sides hammered out the agreement at 1:45am Thursday morning. Union members must ratify the agreement before it can take effect. The union’s bargaining team is recommending approval.
