We, the undersigned employees of the City of Santa Clara, respectfully petition City Council and City Management to ensure equitable treatment, negotiated benefits, and formal meet-and-confer discussions for SCEA-represented employees (Units 5, 7 & 8) impacted by the FIFA World Cup (FWC) operational period.

For all six FIFA World Cup matches hosted in Santa Clara, employees across multiple departments - including Police, Public Works, Fire, Community Development, Silicon Valley Power, and other operational divisions - are being required to support essential event operations. Many employees will be required to modify schedules, work extended hours, delay or forego leave requests, remain on-call or flexible, and perform mandatory operational duties between June 7 - July 4, 2026.

SCEA members have consistently supported major City events, including Super Bowl 50 and Super Bowl LX, with professionalism and dedication. Our concern is not the requirement to support these events, but the inequitable treatment of employees performing mandatory duties during the FWC operational period.

During Super Bowl LX, SCEA members were mandated to work extended hours, modify schedules, and staff critical operations for multiple consecutive days. For example, The Police Department designated event-week dates as “mandatory workdays for all employees,” placing extraordinary demands on staff. Despite these contributions during the Super Bowl, SCEA employees are not included in negotiated benefits granted to other bargaining units for comparable work, and continue to be excluded. The City’s decision to alter schedules, restrict leave, and impose mandatory operational requirements without engaging SCEA in meet-and-confer discussions constitutes a unilateral change to working conditions and undermines the collective bargaining process. This inconsistency has created avoidable inequities among staff working side-by-side during the same operational period and sets a concerning precedent for future citywide operations.

We respectfully request that the City:

• Immediately engage in meet-and-confer discussions with SCEA regarding operational impacts and employee benefits during the FWC period.
• Provide equitable benefits to SCEA employees required to perform mandatory or schedule-restricted duties during FWC operations

The FWC operational period is fast approaching. SCEA employees remain committed to ensuring safe and successful FIFA World Cup operations, just as they have during prior major events. This petition seeks fairness, consistency, and recognition - not conflict. Employees across the City are simply requesting the same respect, equitable treatment, and negotiation opportunities afforded to others.

We urge City Council and City Management to act promptly to ensure all impacted employees are treated equitably and afforded appropriate negotiated benefits.