Friday, October 9, SEIU 1021 members at San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency (SF MTA) ratified their union contract.

San Francisco is facing drastic cuts annually due to H.R. 1 (the Trump Administration’s “Big Bad Bill”). Because of federal budget cuts, the SF MTA faces financial uncertainty. Specifically, the SF MTA faces a $344 million dollar budget deficit come July 1, 2027. To close the budget deficit, the SF MTA is relying on two revenue measures on the November 3 ballot that will raise about $160 million each that will help prevent catastrophic cuts to Muni and Regional Transit.

This new contract protects SEIU 1021 members at SF MTA in the additional following ways.

1. Base wage increases of 12% over 4 years.
2. No Permanent Civil Service employees will be laid off beginning after ratification to June 30, 2029.
3. A strengthened Labor Management Committee that will meet monthly and can bring issues including compensation to the table.
4. Existing contract provisions shall extend through June 30, 2031.

SEIU 1021 member leader Melvin Brown, who works as a Supervising Parts Store Keeper for SF MTA, said: “We voted to safeguard members’ jobs that could be at risk while we pursue ballot measures. Without the protections ensured by this agreement, potential reductions might affect our bargaining unit.”

SEIU 1021 President Theresa Rutherford said: “H.R. 1 has enacted the largest spending cuts in U.S. history. To weather the storm and be real about the economic challenges at the same time, we have this agreement that guarantees layoff protections and wage increases. There is nothing here that stops us from fighting the bosses, rallying, or marching. But it ensures that our members will not be laid off for at least three fiscal years.”