Santa Clara County nurses say no to pay raise delay - San Jose Spotlight

Santa Clara County displayed “Happy Nurses Week” banners across hospitals while nurses objected to a request to defer cost-of-living wage increases. County leaders, facing a large budget deficit, asked the Registered Nurses Professional Association for a May 1 meeting to discuss delaying raises that nurses won in a 2024 strike and secured in a written contract. County officials said similar requests were made to all labor unions. Union leaders said the raises are guaranteed by contract and legally binding, so the county cannot withhold or delay them. The county executive linked the request to budget cuts to social safety net services and projected additional cuts, citing federal spending cuts under H.R. 1 that are expected to cost the county about $1 billion annually.

"Instead, they're up in arms as county leaders - grappling with a crushing budget deficit - have asked to delay cost-of-living wage increases that nurses went on strike for in 2024 and won in writing with a hard-fought contract."

"In the May 1 letter, County Executive James Williams tied his request to the ongoing county budget deficit that forced the county to make $200 million in cuts to social safety net services in the middle of this fiscal year. That same budget crisis will require $260 million in more cuts in the next budget cycle to absorb the worst shortfall county leaders have faced since the passage of Proposition 13 more than 45 years ago."

"Nurse union leaders said they unanimously oppose the county's request, arguing the raises are contractually guaranteed and legally binding and the county cannot force a delay or withhold them. "It's a massive, massive issue," union president Allan Kamara told San José Spotlight. "I don't know if I can overemphasize that. Our nurses are furious.""

"Williams declined to comment and referred San José Spotlight to his letter. "Employee salary and benefit costs represent one of the largest portions of the Adopted Budget," Williams wrote in his letter."

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