Strike by court clerks in San Francisco is expected to slow down operations
Clerks were on strike Tuesday at San Francisco Superior Court to protest claimed bad faith by the city in negotiating a possible wage increase with for Service Employees International Union Local 1021.
Picketing during the one-day strike slowed down operations at the civil and juvenile courthouses, as officials made cases at the criminal courthouse their first priority, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
“We are assessing our resources,” court spokeswoman Ann Donlan told Courthouse News, adding: “Given the obstacles, this is not a typical day.”
The court was expected to be especially busy today after the Columbus Day holiday, she noted. However, some clerks crossed the picket line to come to work.
Union officials apologized in advance for inconvenience to those using the courts but said the city drove clerks to strike by refusing to increase their pay despite a $16 million budget surplus, according to the Chronicle and SF Weekly’s blog The Snitch.
“The courts are supposed to be the place people go to find justice, not have it delayed and denied,” said Gary Feliciano, a clerk who serves as chief shop steward for the court chapter of Local 1021.
“We are very disappointed that the San Francisco Superior Court, the institution we are devoting our careers to, the institution that should be the beacon of justice in our community, would show such disregard for the rights of citizens and workers.”
However, court executive officer Michael Yuen called the strike unlawful and said it would file a complaint with the state Public Employment Relations Board. He also said clerks in San Francisco are better paid than those in San Mateo and Los Angeles.
“We deserve better than a group of rogue, unionized employees that break a promise to serve the public,” he told the Chronicle. “We are not even at impasse. There’s a lot more talking to do, yet SEIU wants to resort to theater and games.”
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “Workers protest courthouse dress code: ‘Don’t hate, we look great!’”
