Happy Friday, SEIU 1021 CSU/PTRLA!

Bargaining began yesterday! Your bargaining team was at the table in solidarity with you, your co-workers, and Local One. Here’s how it went:

Recap:

In the morning, the City did not allow Local One to engage in open bargaining. Local One did share your joint proposed ground rules and received the City’s proposed ground rules. The City’s union busting law firm (Sloan Sakai Yeung & Wong) claimed that they were denying open bargaining under directive from City Council.

In the afternoon, the SEIU 1021 CSU/PTRLA bargaining team held a firm line with regards to open bargaining. The bargaining team was joined in the Redwood Room by rank and file workers and Local One leadership. We also had the Zoom open with 60+ workers listening in!

HR Director Aram Kouyoumdjian, Deputy City Manager Anne Cardwell, Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront Director Scott Ferris, and more union busting lawyers (Renne Public Law) were scared out of the room by your power and demand for open bargaining. We delivered your proposed ground rules and the lawyers also claimed they were denying open bargaining under directive from the City Council, but when we asked for a copy of that directive they couldn’t provide it because it happened in closed session. What do they have to hide?

They walked out of the room without passing us their proposed ground rules–but not before threatening to declare “impasse” (walking away from the table permanently).