SEIU Local 1021 informed the City of Novato late in the evening on Thursday, August 7 that their represented employees — including maintenance workers, building inspectors, parks and recreation coordinators, city planners and office assistants — would return to work on Friday, August 8, concluding a three-day strike that began on Tuesday, August 5. 

SEIU representatives returned to the bargaining table on the afternoon of August 7 and are scheduled to meet again with the City on August 13 to continue negotiations toward a labor agreement. 

With the conclusion of the strike, City operations are in the process of returning to normal. However, some minor delays may continue as staff address backlogs and resume regular operations.

Parks & Recreation camps and programs already canceled will not resume. This includes: 

• Gymnastics classes closed through Saturday, August 9. 
• Camp Ton-of-Fun, Camp Ton-of-Fun Minis, Counselor In Training, and Gymnastics Full and Half Day Camp closed through the final week of the season, August 11–15.

City staff have reached out directly to impacted parents and participants to provide refunds for classes and programs, as well as make alternative camp programming available through the local YMCA. For questions related to Parks & Recreation programs, please contact novatofun@novato.org. 

While negotiations with SEIU continue and agreements with the Novato Police Managers Association and Police Officers Association remain outstanding, last month the City Council approved a labor agreement for the Novato Police Civilian Employees Association — which includes dispatchers and community service officers — along with Compensation Plans for three unrepresented employee groups: Engineers, Confidential, and Exempt Management, improving compensation and benefits for 31% of City staff. With the same offer extended to SEIU employees, the approved agreements provide 11% salary increases over 3 years and up to an additional 13% equity adjustments to move positions closer to market median. The City continues to cover 100% medical benefits for employees and their families, offer a flexible work schedule and provide eight additional weeks of paid parental leave. 

Thanks to community support of Measure M, the City is advancing key workforce and financial investments following years of staffing challenges — including funding for six new full-time positions with two additional SEIU-represented maintenance workers to support core maintenance priorities, strengthening financial reserves, addressing deferred maintenance and infrastructure, planning for long-term pension liabilities and investing in innovation to improve operational efficiency.