On Thursday, December 11, Solano County public servants represented by SEIU 1021, IFPTE Local 21, and IUOE Local 39 voted 98% YES to authorize a strike if necessary. Workers across Health & Social Services, Children’s Support Services, Sheriff Dispatch, mental health, public works, parks, and more sent a clear message: the County must address its staffing crisis.

The vote authorizes union bargaining teams to call a strike if negotiations continue to stall. Solano County’s bad-faith bargaining has driven severe understaffing that threatens public safety and delays essential services. Sheriff Dispatch is down six positions, Health & Social Services has more than 200 vacant jobs, and residents face growing delays in accessing Medi-Cal, SNAP, and mental-health care.

“When the food stamp crisis hit, workers — not the County — stepped up to help families,” said Tazamisha Alexander, an SEIU 1021 eligibility benefits specialist. “We carry the weight of essential services, and we need to be able to recruit and retain staff. We passed this strike authorization vote to stand up for our work, our clients, and our community.”

With management continuing to refuse good-faith bargaining, union members are now actively preparing for a potential strike in January — organizing, building unity across departments, and ready to take action to protect essential services and the communities they serve.