Santa Clara's engineers' union says a routine personnel action has escalated into a citywide labor dispute after the city placed a longtime electrical engineer on paid administrative leave in September. The union has filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the state and sent a coalition letter to the City Council, arguing the leave was retaliatory and demanding remedies. With contract talks stalled and projects piling up, union leaders say morale and staffing are at a breaking point.
As reported by San José Spotlight, the Engineers of the City of Santa Clara filed an unfair‑practice charge with the California Public Employment Relations Board in September. They sent a letter to the City Council signed by seven of the city’s 10 classified employee unions. The filing alleges the city retaliated after the engineer, identified by unions as Julia Black, took part in bargaining and later complained about a manager’s conduct. Union representatives say those personnel moves came amid wide staffing gaps that have left engineers working long, unpaid hours to meet deadlines.
City spokesperson Janine De la Vega told San José Spotlight the city cannot discuss specific personnel matters and that "paid administrative leave is not a punitive action" because an employee remains whole with no loss of salary or seniority. De la Vega also stated that the city has hired six engineers since May to address vacancies and that the administration is committed to the fair and consistent application of its policies and anti-retaliation rules. The parties remain in negotiations over a new contract that the union says has been expired since July.
Workload, big events, and Measure I
Union members say their workload has increased significantly due to Measure I projects, which are funded by a $400 million infrastructure bond, and preparations for high-profile events next year. The Measure I program and its $400 million authorization are outlined on the City of Santa Clara website, and an official city news release details the city's role in hosting FIFA World Cup matches and other 2026 events at Levi's Stadium, which will require planning, public-safety staffing, and capital work. Engineers say that the combination of project load and planned utility expansions has made overtime common and heightened pressure to hire and retain experienced staff.
What the union wants
The engineers' bargaining unit is asking for a 12% first‑year wage increase in a three‑year deal, followed by 3% in subsequent years, plus reinstatement of Julia Black and payment of interest the union says the city owes employees. Those demands and the union's letter are detailed by SFGATE, which republished the reporting. The union is also seeking approximately $1,000 per affected worker as a civil penalty, alleging that management requested internal union information during negotiations.
Legal fight at PERB
By taking the matter to the California Public Employment Relations Board, the union has placed the dispute into an administrative process that can investigate unfair‑practice claims and order remedies. PERB can pursue back pay, reinstatement, and, in certain circumstances, civil penalties or other forms of relief if it finds unlawful retaliation or bargaining violations. A recent update from labor counsel at Liebert Cassidy Whitmore explains how recent state measures and PERB precedent give the board discretion to seek monetary penalties when employers are found to have violated public‑sector labor protections.
What's next
The union has requested that the City Council provide concrete remedies, including reinstatement and assurances that retaliation will cease, while PERB reviews the charge and negotiations continue behind closed doors. City agendas show regular closed‑session labor negotiations involving Unit 4, the engineers' bargaining unit, which keeps the issue on the council's radar; the closed sessions and labor negotiations are reflected in city meeting records.
