Up to 4,500 San Jose city employees are gearing up for the largest strike in city history, scheduled for three days starting on August 15th. The unprecedented move comes as ongoing negotiations between workers and city officials reach a stalemate, according to KTVU.
Workers represented by IFPTE Local 21 and MEF-AFSCME Local 101, including emergency dispatchers, librarians, airport staff, water maintenance staff, and engineers, voted by an overwhelming 99% to authorize the strike, as reported in MEF-AFSCME's tweet. The workers are demanding a pay raise and improved working conditions amidst claims of a severe recruitment and retention crisis that is impacting the quality of public services in the rapidly growing city.
San Jose city workers in MEF-AFSCME Local 101 and IFPTE Local 21 have voted by an overwhelming 99% to authorize a strike! 🚨
— MEF-AFSCME (@sjmef101) August 7, 2023
Our bargaining committees have scheduled a three-day #strike from Tuesday, August 15 through Thursday, August 17.
We are united to Staff Up San Jose! ✊ pic.twitter.com/F0HxkzH0bh
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has expressed his commitment to negotiating a fair deal for both employees and residents who depend on the essential services these workers provide. However, he has also pointed out the city's financial constraints, stating that any additional spending beyond the city's final offer of a 5% raise and increased paid parental leave would require identifying which core city services to cut.
The city's offer has been deemed insufficient by many of the employees, who argue that San Jose is facing a severe recruitment and retention crisis, resulting in deteriorating public service outcomes. With the city's growing population, its services struggle to keep up with increasing demands, and workers believe that the city needs to invest more in its workforce to maintain the quality of the essential services they provide.
The three-day strike is set to begin Tuesday, August 15th, and will continue through Thursday, August 17th. While the strike has been authorized, there is still a chance that further negotiations could take place and potentially halt the action. However, as it stands, the city of San Jose appears to be on the brink of a crisis, with thousands of its employees ready to make a stand for their rights and the ongoing battle to improve the lives of themselves and the residents they serve, all while the clock ticks down and the tension rises ever higher.
