SF court clerks strike over alleged unfair labor practices
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Some trials had to be postponed and legal proceedings were delayed in San Francisco after dozens of court clerks decided to strike for one day. Both sides are now blaming each other for unfair labor practices.
The chief executive of the superior court system said San Franciscans access to justice was in jeopardy Tuesday after more than half the clerks went out on strike.
The clerk's office is usually bustling but because of the strike it's shutdown and it meant Victor Sandee could not file papers to try to stop an upcoming eviction.
"I try to take care of my business and I can't today," Sandee said.
The workers say the court is violating state law by bargaining in bad faith for a new deal that will begin in 2015.
"They threatened us across the table by saying if we give anything to the court workers community, you'll lose jobs," court clerk Priscilla Agbunag said.
At issue is nearly $16 million that the union calls a reserve fund they say could pay for a wage hike. But the San Francisco Superior Court says under state law the money had to be spent by this past July.
"We spent it to guarantee healthcare for our retirees, we spent it to balance our budget this year and part of next year," Michael Yuen, a spokesman for San Francisco Superior Court, said. "We spent it to improve services to the public."
The strike shut down nine of the 23 courtrooms at the San Francisco Hall of Justice and 14 of the 26 courtrooms at the Civic Center.
Emergencies like domestic violence cases were priorities. For other filings and papers there were drop boxes.
San Francisco court clerks are the highest paid in the state, but the union says the comparison is unfair.
"San Francisco is one of the most expensive places, if not the most expensive to live and just come to work," Garay Jimenez, a spokesman for SEIU, said.
But with trial courts suffering more than $1 billion in state cuts over the past six years, the court is not offering wage increases.
