Impasse Looms In 4th Day Of Oakland City Worker Strike

Impasse Looms In 4th Day Of Oakland City Worker StrikePhoto: Amy Hollyfield/ABC7
Fiona Lee
Published on December 08, 2017

Four days into a strike that has shut down city services, the city of Oakland intends to declare a formal impasse and seek mediation with Service Employees International Union Local 1021.

The move came as union organizers rejected Mayor Libby Schaaf's most recent offer. In turn, the city rejected a counter-offer from the union. 

"Her offer fails to address the major issues we wanted to address at this bargaining," SEIU's David Velez, a building inspector, told ABC7. "There's no resolution on the homelessness issue, illegal dumping, exploitation of part time workers." 

According to the East Bay Times, the strike could stretch on for months since the union can choose between meeting with the city for mediation or entering into a months-long fact-finding process.

During mediation or fact-finding, the union can also choose to continue the strike. 

Nearly 3,000 Oakland workers are on strike, with many city services, including libraries and after-school programs, shuttered for the time being. However, emergency services are still available.