Santa Clara Nurses Reject Raise Delay Demand

Santa Clara County nurses are refusing to reopen a pay fight they thought they settled in last year’s strike. A May 1 letter from County Executive James R. Williams asked leaders of the Registered Nurses Professional Association, or RNPA, to discuss deferring cost-of-living raises that nurses won in a 2024 contract after a three-day walkout. RNPA leaders say the answer is no. They argue the raises are guaranteed in a ratified four-year agreement and say the county cannot unilaterally delay them. The dispute lands as Santa Clara County tries to close a widening budget gap tied to federal funding losses, slower local revenue growth and rising costs. County officials say they have made similar requests to other unions. Nurses say their contract is not up for renegotiation. ### What exactly did the county ask nurses to do? A May 1 letter from Williams asked RNPA leaders to meet about deferred raises, according to reporting by San José Spotlight. The request came just before National Nurses Week, which ran from May 6 through May 12. Allan Kamara, RNPA’s president, told San José Spotlight that union leaders unanimously opposed the request. Kamara said the issue was a “massive” one for nurses and that members were “furious,” according to the report. County officials told the outlet they had made similar requests to every labor union. Williams, in the letter cited by the report, said salary and benefit costs make up one of the largest portions of the county’s adopted budget. (sanjosespotlight.com) ### Why do nurses say the raises cannot be delayed? The 2024 labor deal followed months of bargaining, mediation and a three-day strike in April 2024 by thousands of county nurses. (sanjosespotlight.com) More than 88% of RNPA’s roughly 4,000 members voted to ratify the tentative agreement, San José Spotlight reported at the time, and the contract then went to the Board of Supervisors for final approval on June 4, 2024. That agreement gave nurses a 15% compounded raise over four years, along with other changes on staffing and scheduling, according to the 2024 report. RNPA leaders now say those wage increases are legally binding because they were negotiated and approved as part of that contract. Danielle Mahabir, an O’Connor Hospital nurse, was identified in 2024 coverage as one of the nurses on the picket line during the strike. (sanjosespotlight.com) O’Connor, Valley Medical Center and other county facilities were part of that labor action. ### How big is the county’s budget problem? James R. Williams released Santa Clara County’s recommended fiscal 2026-27 budget on May 1. (sanjosespotlight.com) The county said the plan totals $14.7 billion and addresses a nearly $800 million starting deficit that is projected to grow to more than $1 billion next year. The county said federal cuts to healthcare and food assistance are the main driver of the crisis, alongside slower property-tax growth and rising operating costs. (sanjosespotlight.com) Williams said in the county release that officials were managing “unprecedented federal cuts” while trying to preserve essential services. Measure A, a countywide sales tax approved by voters in November 2025, is expected to generate about $337 million annually and is being allocated to Santa Clara Valley Healthcare, the county said. (news.santaclaracounty.gov) County officials have also said that revenue will not by itself close the larger structural gap. ### What are nurses threatening to do next? (news.santaclaracounty.gov) RNPA leaders told San José Spotlight they would pursue legal action if the county tries to withhold or postpone the raises. The union’s position is that the county may ask, but cannot impose the delay without violating the contract. The RNPA represents more than 4,500 county nurses, according to the May 19 report. Its public website shows the union has continued posting updates and member notices through 2025 and 2026. (news.santaclaracounty.gov) ### When will this fight move into public view? Santa Clara County’s 2025-2026 / 2026-2027 budget calendar says the Board of Supervisors held budget workshops on May 11, 12 and 13. (sanjosespotlight.com) The next formal budget hearings are scheduled for June 15, 16 and 18, with the hearing agenda to be posted June 8. Those hearings will be the next public venue where county officials, union members and residents can weigh in on the budget choices behind the raise dispute. (sanjosespotlight.com) The county’s meeting portal says Board of Supervisors meetings are held in person and can also be followed remotely. (bos.santaclaracounty.gov) (santaclaracounty.gov)