Dozens of workers braved the rain in Redwood City to announce strike plans and call on Court leadership to reach a fair agreement before the work stoppage begins; no end date announced at this time.
REDWOOD CITY, CA β Dozens of San Mateo County Superior Court workers braved the rain today to announce that they will begin an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike on Monday, November 16, following what their union, SEIU Local 521, says are unfair labor practices and a failure by Court management to bargain in good faith.
Workers gathered outside the County Center building in Redwood City for a press conference and solidarity rally, calling on Court leadership to address their concerns, respect workers’ rights, and reach a fair agreement to avoid the strike.
The workers preparing to walk the picket lines are the very people who make our justice system function, said Stacy Gaskill, Court Report and SEIU 521 Chapter President. βThey include court reporters, clerks, accountants, and many other essential employees. These are the people who serve families, support courtrooms, manage critical records, and help ensure that justice is delivered to our community. But our courts are struggling. Vacancies have climbed to 17%. In one of the wealthiest counties in America, justice should never depend on how much money you have. Our community deserves a court system that works for everyone.
The announcement comes as the Court faces growing challenges with staffing and case delays. Between the 2022β23 and 2024β25 fiscal years, court filings increased by 20.4%, while the case clearance rate declined by 12.3%. Meanwhile, vacancies climbed from 10% in 2022β23 to 17% in 2025β26. Families are facing delays in family law hearings into Spring 2027, adding to the uncertainty and hardship for people who depend on timely access to the justice system.
Workers say the impact of these delays is not felt equally. Families with financial resources may have more options to navigate a slow court system, while working families often have fewer choices. In one of the wealthiest counties in America, access to justice should be a guaranteeβnot a privilege.
Court workers voted 99% in favor of authorizing an unfair labor practice strike. Their bargaining committee remains ready and willing to reach a fair, responsible agreement that addresses workers’ concerns, improves staffing and retention, and strengthens court services for the community.
βOur members do not want to strike, Erica Boffi, Court Reporter. βThey want to be inside the courthouse serving the public and helping families get the justice they deserve. But Court leadership’s decisions and failure to address our concerns have brought us to this point. We are ready to stand together because our rights matter, our work matters, and the future of our courts matters. The Presiding Judge and Court Executive Officer still have an opportunity to do what is right: end the unfair labor practices, bargain in good faith, and reach an agreement that avoids this strike.β
The union emphasized that the planned strike remains preventable. Court leadership can still avert the work stoppage by addressing the union’s concerns, ending the alleged unfair labor practices, and returning to meaningful negotiations.
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Service Employees International Union, Local 521 represents 75,000 public-and nonprofit, and private-sector workers in Californiaβs 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.
