San Francisco Superior Court Clerks End Strike, Reach Tentative Deal

Clerks to return to work after reaching agreement on wages, training, and staffing

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

After striking for more than a day, the San Francisco Superior Court's clerks have reached a tentative agreement to end their strike. The details of the agreement have not been released, but the clerks were demanding better wages, training, and staffing. Negotiations between the court and the union had been at an impasse since December.

Why it matters

The strike by the court clerks, who are members of the Service Employees International Union Local 1021, had the potential to significantly disrupt the operations of the San Francisco Superior Court system. The clerks play a vital role in the functioning of the courts, and a prolonged strike could have led to a backlog of cases and delays in legal proceedings.

The details

The tentative agreement was reached on Friday afternoon, according to union representatives. The clerks had been seeking improvements in wages, training, and staffing levels. The court had previously stated that it had bargained fairly and offered to increase contributions to health benefits. If the strike had continued, legal analysts warned that it would have strained the court system and led to a backlog of cases.

  • The clerks went on strike for more than one day, marking the first time they had done so.
  • Negotiations between the court and the union had been at an impasse since December 2025.

The players

Service Employees International Union Local 1021

The union representing the San Francisco Superior Court clerks who went on strike.

San Francisco Superior Court

The court system that employs the clerks who went on strike.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We made it very clear to court management that the court can't function without us. We are very thankful to the public who supported us, including the numerous attorneys, other court workers, public officials, and legal experts who stood in solidarity with us and affirmed our importance to the justice system.”

— Jennie Smith-Camejo, Union representative (KTVU)

What’s next

The tentative agreement reached between the court and the union will still need to be ratified by the roughly 220 clerks who are union members. Court services are expected to resume as normal on Monday.

The takeaway

This strike highlights the crucial role that court clerks play in the functioning of the legal system, and the importance of ensuring that they are adequately compensated and supported. The resolution of this dispute through a negotiated agreement demonstrates the value of collective bargaining and the willingness of both sides to find a compromise.