Overview

• Service Employees International Union Local 1021 members voted 98% in favor and launched an open-ended strike on Tuesday over alleged breaches of voter-approved Measure M funding promises.
• The city has activated contingency staffing to maintain urgent operations even as non-emergency services such as summer youth programs, building inspections and permit processing face delays.
• Union negotiators say the council has withheld roughly $10 million in annual Measure M revenues earmarked for local services and equitable wage adjustments for job classifications trailing at least 20% behind peers.
• The Novato City Council maintains its offer of an 11% wage increase over three years—with equity boosts up to 24% for some roles—remains available and is urging a return to the bargaining table.
• The labor stoppage underscores Novato’s deep recruitment and retention challenges, with about one-fifth of represented employees on the job for less than a year amid uncompetitive pay.