Novato’s municipal workforce just dove into a major labor standoff. Seventy-six general employees launched an open-ended strike after their two-year contract expired.
The strike kicked off Tuesday. After months of negotiations that started in February, both sides hit a wall. City services are already taking a hit, and the situation really shines a light on how tough it is to make ends meet for municipal workers in Marin County. Many job classifications reportedly trail up to 20% behind similar roles in nearby agencies. That’s making it tough to keep people on staff, which, in turn, affects services all over northern Marin.
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Understanding the Strike’s Origins
This labor action in Novato didn’t come out of nowhere. Tensions have been simmering since contract talks began earlier in the year.
The 76 employees on strike include some of the city’s most essential staff—street maintenance workers, building inspectors, city planners. They’re the folks who keep everything moving in this North Marin community.
The Compensation Gap
Union reps keep pointing to a big pay gap between Novato city workers and folks in places like San Rafael, Mill Valley, and Corte Madera. Their numbers say a lot of city jobs lag by as much as 20% behind comparable agencies in the region.
That’s a tough pill to swallow for anyone trying to stick around. The city’s latest offer? Raises totaling 11% over three years, with some jobs getting up to 24% through equity adjustments. Still, union members argue that’s not enough to fix the core pay issues. Many are eyeing jobs in San Anselmo, Fairfax, and elsewhere.
Impact on City Services
By Wednesday—the strike’s second day—residents across Novato started to feel the pinch. Administrative services slowed down, public counters ran with fewer staff, and permit processing delays began to ripple through the city.
Community Programs Affected
Families are feeling the loss of gymnastics classes and camps, which were supposed to run through Saturday. Those programs, usually a big draw from Hamilton to Ignacio, are on hold for now.
Union members say they’ll stay out “as long as we need to be.” So, there’s a real chance this drags on and causes more headaches for everyone.
The Measure M Connection
Many of the striking employees feel let down after Measure M passed. That measure bumped Novato’s sales tax up to 9.25% and brings in about $10 million annually for the city.
Plenty of workers thought some of that money would help with pay. So far, they’re still waiting.
The Affordability Crisis
The strike has thrown a spotlight on the housing affordability crisis that’s weighing on workers all over Marin County. Permit technician Samantha Hagner can’t afford to live in Marin on her current salary, even though she’s committed to serving the Novato community.
“We’re constantly looking for other employment opportunities,” Hagner said. She pointed out the tough balance between staying loyal to her workplace and needing a paycheck that actually covers the bills—a struggle that’s all too familiar for public employees from Sausalito to Novato.
This labor dispute could ripple out and affect municipal employee relations in other Marin towns like Tiburon and Larkspur. Right now, both residents and city workers are waiting for answers, while city services hang in limbo.
Here is the source article for this story: Novato employees strike for higher wages
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