The labor council has formally authorized support for San Jose city workers should they strike.

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On the evening of October 5, 2026, delegates of the South Bay Labor Council (AFL-CIO), representing more than 105 unions and 100,000 union members in Santa Clara and San Benito counties, voted unanimously to approve a strike sanction. The emergency vote comes as San Jose City workers continue to organize to reach a fair deal with the City of San Jose. City workers have been without a contract since June 30, 2026. 

In mid-September, city unions participated in fact-finding as a final attempt to reach a deal with the City of San Jose. Fact-finding with a third-party arbitrator came after months of stalled negotiations between city workers and the City Administration, multiple strike schools throughout the month of July, and an overwhelming 97% 'yes' strike authorization vote conducted in early August. With this majority 'yes' vote, IFPTE Local 21 and MEF-AFSCME Local 101 bargaining teams still have the authority to call a strike of up to three days. 

"For working families, striking is a last resort. A strike sanction vote does not necessarily mean a strike has been called or will happen, but it confirms that South Bay Labor has given its support for a potential strike and encourages affiliated unions to participate in solidarity actions. South Bay Labor affiliates should not do business with the City of San Jose for the duration of a strike. This sanction shows that we stand united for our communities, ready to honor the picket lines, and committed to standing shoulder to shoulder with city workers," said Jean Cohen, Executive Officer of the South Bay Labor Council. "City workers show up for San Jose every day, maintaining services that our neighbors and residents rely on. San Jose cannot continue to be the most thinly staffed city in the area."

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SOURCE South Bay Labor Council