The union representing the clerks said it hoped the agreement would address issues with staffing and poor training.
SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — Courtroom clerks for San Francisco Superior Court have come to an agreement with court management to ratify a one-year, tentative contract agreement that will address the clerks’ concerns over poor training, caseload issues and low staffing.
The clerks staged a one-day strike in late October in front of San Francisco’s Hall of Justice after numerous rallies in August and September — and the expiration of the clerks’ contract on Sept. 30. More than 99% of clerks voted to authorize the one-day strike, which included roughly 200 workers from both the civil and criminal divisions.
Workers on the picket line told Courthouse News that their employers routinely overworked clerks and expected them to do work outside their expertise without proper training, which resulted in late or lapsed paperwork that caused over 70 misdemeanor cases to be dismissed in August.
The strike came amidst the Nima Momeni murder trial and disrupted numerous other court proceedings.
The new contract includes language to close loopholes that have allowed positions to remain vacant when clerks were promoted or temporarily moved into other positions. It also mandates that court management provide ongoing, quality training for all court employees, and to have training manuals in place by May 1.
Service Employees International Union, Local 1021, which represents the clerks, said in a statement that new technology being introduced without proper training or consideration for its effect on workflow has caused significant issues. The new contract ensures that workers will get 60 days’ notice before new technology is introduced, as well as the opportunity to negotiate its impact on the workplace with management.
The vote to ratify the new agreement passed with an 84% supermajority on Jan. 9.
“This ratification vote in its turnout and its approval show the unity and strength of our members, as well as the faith and trust placed in our negotiations team,” said Kimberly Septien, president of the union’s San Francisco Superior Court chapter. “We are confident that the language won in this contract will ensure a more balanced and fair workplace. With the language in place, we can now begin the work to address the issues that have long affected our members.”
According to SEIU 1021, San Francisco Superior Court has historically been under-resourced relative to the number of cases it processes. In July, the Judicial Council of California approved a funding allocation that included a $97 million general reduction to the operation funding of local trial courts, like San Francisco Superior Court.
The union said changes to the state funding formula are needed to prevent short staffing and avoid backlogs like the one that led to the slew of misdemeanor criminal case dismissals in August. (Under California’s penal code, misdemeanor cases must be brought to trial within 45 days after being charged if the person is not in custody and 30 days if the person is in custody.)
When the strike was authorized, SEIU 1021 said San Francisco Superior Court’s backlog of cases was leading to delays that were denying defendants’ constitutional rights to a speedy trial. San Francisco’s average annual jail count has risen by 26% from 2023, according to data from the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office. The continued delays at the court are exacerbating an already overcrowded and understaffed jail, the union said.
The San Francisco Superior Court did not provide comment on the new agreement before this story was published.
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