Yes, Strike If Necessary: Napa Valley College And Employees Return To The Bargaining Table Thursday

NAPA VALLEY, CA —Napa Valley College staff authorized a strike for the first time in the college's history, raising pressure on officials to settle negotiations over a new contract when the two sides return to the bargaining table on Thursday.

Staffing is the main sticking point 16 months into negotiations. The college has been filling full-time classified positions with temporary workers, according to Keira Sullivan, bargaining committee member and president of the Napa Valley College Union of Classified Professionals, a local of SEIU 2021.
These include jobs in counseling, finance, and admissions, for example, that directly interact with students.

Members — 125 custodians, technicians, and office staff from across the college— have been working without a contract after their previous agreement with the college expired in 2024.

"We've never gotten to this point before," Sullivan said.

Sullivan said union members don't want students to feel the impact of a strike but that the empty positions and working conditions of staff affect them by reducing services in key areas like admissions and counseling.

She said the union has been in contact about a potential strike with the Associated Students of Napa Valley College and the Napa Valley College Faculty Association, which is also bargaining with the college.

"Tonight the ball is in the district's court," she said. "We are hopeful they will come to the table in good faith to reach a deal."