San Francisco Court Clerks End Strike After Reaching Agreement

Union says clerks will return to work on Monday after two-day walkout.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 6:23am by Ben Kaplan

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Clerks with the San Francisco Superior Court have announced a tentative agreement to end a two-day strike, the union announced Friday. The clerks had walked off the job over issues including staffing, worker training, and pay, which they said had contributed to a backlog of cases and delays. After negotiations on Thursday, the court management made concessions on cost-of-living adjustments and time off, and agreed to address staffing and training issues.

Why it matters

The strike by San Francisco court clerks highlighted ongoing challenges in the city's judicial system, including staffing shortages and case backlogs. The resolution of the strike through a negotiated agreement represents a compromise that aims to improve working conditions for clerks while also restoring normal court operations for the public.

The details

The clerks, represented by Service Employees International Union 1021, had been in negotiations with court management since October 2024, when they previously went on strike for one day over similar issues. This latest two-day walkout was prompted by concerns over staffing levels, worker training, and pay. The union said the problems had led to a backlog of cases and delays. After negotiations on Thursday, the court agreed to make concessions on cost-of-living adjustments and time off for the clerks, as well as to address the staffing and training issues.

  • The clerks first went on strike for one day in October 2024 over similar issues.
  • The latest two-day strike by the clerks began on Thursday, February 27, 2026.
  • The tentative agreement to end the strike was announced on Friday, February 28, 2026.
  • The clerks are expected to return to work on Monday, March 2, 2026.

The players

Service Employees International Union 1021

The union that represents the San Francisco Superior Court clerks and negotiated the tentative agreement to end the strike.

Rob Borders

A member of the bargaining team and a clerk at the Hall of Justice.

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What they’re saying

“We convened our chapter membership and reached consensus that it was the right thing to do for our families and the public to recommend this agreement for ratification and return to work on Monday morning.”

— Rob Borders, Clerk at the Hall of Justice

What’s next

The tentative agreement still needs to be ratified by a majority of the approximately 220 clerks before being adopted as a contract.

The takeaway

The resolution of the San Francisco court clerks' strike through a negotiated agreement represents a compromise that aims to address the workers' concerns over staffing, training, and pay, while also restoring normal court operations for the public. This highlights the ongoing challenges facing the city's judicial system and the need for continued efforts to improve working conditions and efficiency.