Approximately 250 attorneys from Sacramento County's government commenced a strike on Monday, contending that equitable wages are necessary to prevent losing skilled lawyers, Courthouse News reports. The move by the Sacramento County Attorneys Association comes after over a year of arbitration with the county and two years of no contract between the county and the attorneys. With no binding arbitration agreement by Monday, however, the union ultimately opted to strike. The group formally started its strike Monday morning on the steps of the Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse. The county’s district attorney and public defender’s offices face the same problem — experienced attorneys leaving their government jobs for better pay. The group says that has led to good, but inexperienced, attorneys facing legal proceedings they otherwise wouldn’t have. The county has said that some members of the union questioned the qualifications of new colleagues at a Board of Supervisors’ meeting. County officials said they strongly disagreed with the take and are focused on building staff that will play large roles in the future.
The union called that divisive and misleading. The new attorneys are good, but are being rushed through the process, the group says, attributing the inability of the district attorney and public defender’s offices to attract experienced attorneys from other counties or keep their own experienced attorneys to the low salaries. The county in a statement earlier this month said both parties reached an agreement through June 2025. It included 14% to 15% compensation increases, along with increases to deferred compensation. Janna Haynes, public information manager with Sacramento County, also said that a limited number of attorneys will continue working during the strike, enabling the county to meet legal obligations. She noted that it’s the attorneys’ burden to meet their ethical duties and public safety commitments. Attorneys will continue to be in court this week for ongoing trials and hearings facing a deadline. the group’s president, Matt Chisholm, said defendants wouldn't end up being released because of the strike. However, hearings that face no deadline or proceedings that haven’t yet started will get pushed back.
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