SEIU Local 1021 members working for Solano County, along with their coworkers from IFPTE Local 21, IUOE Local 39, and UAPD, have formally issued a strike notice after months of stalled negotiations and repeated unfair labor practices by county management.

County workers will go on strike on Tuesday, January 13, and Wednesday, January 14, unless the County takes immediate action to bargain in good faith and reach a fair agreement.

After more than four months at the bargaining table, county administrators have failed to meaningfully address workers’ core issues, despite clear evidence of a growing recruitment and retention crisis that is impacting public services across Solano County.

In response to the County’s conduct, the four unions jointly filed unfair labor practice (ULP) charges with the State of California on December 31, citing violations of state law and the County’s legal obligation to bargain in good faith. Earlier in December, bargaining teams across all four unions overwhelmingly approved a strike authorization vote.

Solano County departments have hundreds of vacant positions, leaving remaining workers stretched thin and residents experiencing delays in critical services—including mental health care, public health, infrastructure, and community programs.

“I see the real impact of Solano County’s recruitment and retention crisis every day,” said Linda Cheesman, an SEIU 1021 member and office supervisor in the County’s General Services Department. “When four unions representing county workers all file strike notices, it signals a system under serious strain. County workers want to help build a Solano for all, but we need the county to meet us with a fair and equitable contract so we can attract and retain the staff our community relies on.”

Workers across departments and classifications are united in calling on the county to invest in the workforce that keeps Solano running.

“County workers are prepared to stand up for our community centers, our mental health services, and the residents we serve,” said Christie Allan, an IFPTE Local 21 bargaining team member and mental health clinical supervisor. “The County still has an opportunity to come to the table and do the right thing—but we are preparing to strike if we have to.”

IUOE Local 39 stationary engineer Jeffrey Eichenberger emphasized that the fight is about public services as much as it is about workers. “We’re ready to strike for our services, because our community deserves better.”

Healthcare professionals echoed those concerns. “Losing experienced providers threatens continuity of care and leaves vulnerable patients at risk,” said Dr. Jeanah Braden, a pediatrician and UAPD bargaining team member. “We’re striking to ensure residents are not denied access to the specialized care they need.”

Solano County workers remain committed to reaching a fair agreement that strengthens public services and stabilizes the County workforce. The County still has time to avert a strike by addressing its unfair labor practices and negotiating a contract that respects workers and the communities they serve.

SEIU 1021 members working at Solano County should stay tuned for strike logistics, participation details, and ways to support the Solano for All Coalition in the days ahead.

Together, workers are standing up—for each other and for Solano County residents.