SFMTA Unveils 12% Raises, Layoff Shield in Four Union Deals

San Francisco's transit agency put a multi-year labor bill on the table Monday. At a brief Oct. 5, 2026 special meeting, SFMTA disclosed contract extensions with four unions that include 12% raises through 2031 and no layoffs through mid-2029. The board took no action, and a vote is set for Oct. 20.

• Four-year extensions through June 30, 2031 disclosed for TWU Local 200, IBEW Local 6, SEIU Local 1021 and MEA

• 12% wage increase between 2027 and 2031 mirrors this year's police and fire contracts

• Layoff protection through June 30, 2029 for covered transit workers and managers

• ConnectSF strongly opposes the extensions, citing projected deficits

• No board questions; closed session Oct. 6, approval vote Oct. 20

1 Big Thing: Transit Workforce Costs Locked in Through 2031

Why it matters: The deals commit SFMTA's fiscal 2029 through 2031 budgets to higher wages for the people who keep Muni running: supervisors, controllers, power line workers, mechanics, parking control officers, station agents, car cleaners and managers. The layoff guarantee also limits how the agency can respond to a budget crunch before mid-2029.

The basics: The City Charter requires SFMTA to publicly disclose the terms of labor contract amendments before the board votes on them. A Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, is the formal labor contract between the city and a union.

"Pursuant to the City Charter, today we are disclosing the contents of amendments to our service-critical labor contracts that the mayor and the SFMTA have negotiated with the following 4 unions," said Judson True, Chief of Staff and Director of External Affairs, presenting on behalf of Director of Transportation Julie Kirschbaum.

Where things stand: The amendments cover four bargaining units:
- Transport Workers Union Local 200: transit supervisors and transportation controllers
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 6: transit power line workers and electrical transit system mechanics
- Service Employees International Union Local 1021: parking control officers, station agents and transit car cleaners
- Municipal Executives Association: service-critical managers

The core terms are a four-year extension through June 30, 2031, and wage adjustments pegged to the police and fire contracts the city negotiated earlier this year. That works out to a 12% raise between 2027 and 2031, plus protection against layoffs through June 30, 2029.

On cost, True said "funds are available in the FY28 budget and will be allocated in the FY29, FY30, and FY31 budgets." The amended MOUs, costing analyses and summaries are posted at sfmta.com/2026amendment.

The policy backbone: These deals were negotiated jointly by the mayor and SFMTA, and their wage terms track the public safety contracts. That suggests a citywide bargaining pattern is now carrying into the transit workforce. The future-year spending is a commitment, not money already set aside. True identified funds only in the fiscal 2028 budget; later years "will be allocated."

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The item was for discussion only, and no vote was taken. Covered workers gain raises and job security through 2029. SFMTA management and future budget writers absorb fixed labor costs. Riders and residents carry the risk if revenues fall short. Board members asked no questions in public. Board Chair Janet Tarlov said "colleagues will have an opportunity to have a pretty fulsome discussion about this item tomorrow at our closed session."

What's next: The board meets in closed session on labor negotiations Oct. 6. It is scheduled to consider approval at its regular meeting Oct. 20, 2026.

Fiscal Watchdog Warns of Locked-in Deficits

Why it matters: Connect SF was the only voice from the public, so its objection frames the cost-versus-workforce debate heading into the Oct. 20 vote.

The other side: Griffin Lee, a public commenter with Connect SF, said the group respects fair wages. He argued that a 12% raise is the wrong call when the agency projects future deficits. "This just doesn't feel like it's fiscally responsible," he said.

Lee said the deal is "banking on both measures to pass," though he did not name the measures. He pressed the board on what happens if they fail: "What happens if they don't pass and you're in a contract that you're obligated to?" No board member or staffer responded.

Lee warned of "future deficits locked in for future years, and the liability goes back to the residents of San Francisco." He closed bluntly: "We strongly oppose the extension at this rate."

Where things stand: No union or management representatives spoke, and no other members of the public commented. That leaves the public record so far as a staff presentation and a single fiscal objection.

What's next: Expect the funding question Lee raised to resurface when the board takes up approval Oct. 20.

Minor Items

• Attendance: Board Chair Janet Tarlov, Vice Chair Stephanie Cajina and Directors Alfonso Felder, Dominica Henderson and Fiona Hinze were present. Director Heminger was absent.

Looking ahead: Residents who want to weigh in can review the MOUs and costing analyses at sfmta.com/2026amendment before the board's Oct. 20, 2026 regular meeting. One question worth asking: how will SFMTA cover fiscal 2029 through 2031 costs if projected deficits materialize?