SEIU 521
Maintenance and
Library Units
City of San Mateo Public Hearing, April 2026
SEIU Maintenance and Library
Units Overview
• Maintenance Unit
• Parks and Recreation & Public Works
• Landscape Maintenance
• Wastewater Treatment
• Traffic lights and safety
• 103 FTEs,13 vacancies,13% vacancy rate. Highest vacancy rate of any City of San Mateo bargaining unit.
• For vacant positions
• Median time positions have been vacant: 7.7 months
• Median number of applications: 184
• Library Unit
• Librarians, Library Assistants, and Literacy Programs • 24 FTEs, 1 vacancy
Financial health
• The City of San Mateo continues to be in a strong financial position • General Fund Balance
o $119.5 million
o Unrestricted Fund Balance covers over 8 months of operating expenditures o 89% unassigned
o General Fund Balance has grown 40% in the last 5 years • Sewer Fund
o Total net position = $466 million; 65% unrestricted
o Net position increased 140% over the past 5 years
Source: 2024-25 City of San Mateo ACFR
SEIU Maintenance and Library
Units Turnover & Retention
• Maintenance Unit
• The median length of employment is 5.3 years
• Compared to Redwood City, median tenure is 11 years (as of 2025) • 24% of employees with less than 2 year tenure
• Wastewater Treatment Plant - 61% of employees with less than 4 year tenure; median length of employment is 3.5 years
• Library Unit
• Median length of employment is 11.1 years
SEIU Maintenance and Library Units
Why employees leave
• Low-income threshold in San Mateo County
• Family of 4: $156,650
• Individual: $109,700
• Source: 2025 San Mateo County Income Limits as determined by HUD • Not one SEIU employee makes above family of 4 threshold • Median income: family of 4 = $186,600; individual = $130,600 • Median wage for full-time City of San Mateo employees $44.24/hr ($92,019 annually if 40 hrs/week)
• Mid-step Librarian I and II are 14% below Redwood City. Top step is 15% below Redwood City
• Mid-step Library Assistant II is 17% below Redwood City. Top step is 18% below Redwood City
Impact to City of San Mateo
• Loss of experience and institutional knowledge
• Cost of rehiring
o City spends manager time hiring and training
o City typically wastes 2x or 3x salary on hiring, onboarding, training o City pays for certs then employees leave
• Need for contracting out and extra help
o More expensive to city
o Lower quality
o Short term
o Unsustainable
How do we fix this?
• Increase salaries to match comparable agencies
• Create more senior and full time positions that provide a career path
o Improve staffing to reduce danger and burnout
o Per Diems want to stay with city but not offered the career opportunities
• Address housing and commute crisis for employees
How do we fix this? - Salaries
• Class and Comp study is a positive development
o Market adjustments to 75% would better reflect San Mateo's position in the region. Library contract open this year
• Market data for surveyed jobs at WTP indicated San Mateo significantly behind market
o Adjustment by city raised ICT, Electrician, and Maint Planner by 11% o Still leaves 4% gap below market even after city took steps to address the issue
o Significant movement in the right direction but further action required
How do we fix this? - Staffing
• Create Flexibly Staffed 1 and 2 jobs wherever possible o Senior positions in Facilities and Traffic Lighting could easily be converted into flexibly staffed 1 and 2 positions
• Reduce reliance on per diems, convert to full time positions o Need for full time positions in Library, Parks, and Streets o Due to short staffing of full timers, city has wasted money on contractors. Money could instead be spent creating full time positions
o Retired annuitants are more knowledgeable than contractors o Per Diem turnover creates constant need for training
How do we fix this? - Housing
and Commute
•Flexible schedules including 9/80s
and 4/10s
•Continue to explore barracks, BMR,
and other creative housing
solutions