Sacramento Superior Court employees vote to strike on or after October 30
Roughly 450 employees of the Sacramento Superior Court, represented by United Public Employees, have voted to strike on or after Oct. 30, the union said on Friday.
The union said the employees, who work in a variety of roles in the court system, have been working without a contract since the beginning of Sep. 2026. Despite negotiations involving a state mediator on Oct. 19 and Oct. 20, no deal was reached.
The union says the court has not offered wage increases to offset rising costs of living, and employees are asking for a 4% increase in pay. The union claims the court has awarded pay increases to managers, while telling the union that there is no funding for a raise for rank-and-file employees.
"This is yet another example of on an administration who has zero consideration for the employees who do the frontline work, that make the justice system work in Sacramento County," UPE Executive Director Ted Somera said in a statement. "So much for justice in an unjust court administration."
The court said in a statement that it remains committed to finding a solution that appropriately recognizes employees while also maintaining its ability to provide its services to the public. It also said that if the strike proceeds, an emergency operation plan will be implemented relying on employees not represented by UPE to perform constitutionally-mandated operations.
The court said it is projected to receive $109 million in funding for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, which is a shortfall of approximately $61 million from the Judicial Council's formula for operations. It claims that UPE is asking the court to deplete its reserve funds to finance salary increases.
"The Sacramento Superior Court remains steadfast in its commitment to the people we serve. While bargaining continues, our doors remain open, and we will continue to provide the essential services our community counts on, from protective orders to time-sensitive hearings," Kelly Sullivan, Court Executive Officer for the Sacramento Superior Court said.
The court said all court locations will remain open during a strike, but some services may be delayed.
