Latest Guides

Government

Pasadena Union Workers Protest at City Hall

AFSCME members ask to settle prolonged negotiations

Published on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 | 5:16 am
 

Rank and file members of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 858 filled the Pasadena City Council Chambers Monday night, as part of an ongoing salary and contact dispute with the City.

The City Council met with labor representatives in closed session Monday afternoon before the full Council meeting, following last Friday’s reported absence from work of 260 union employees. However, AFSCME representative Lee Wax, said of the sickout, “That wasn’t our plan, people did that spontaneously, we didn’t authorize it.”

Wax told the council, as nearly 50 members stood in solidarity, “We seem to make this a regular habit, coming in here and asking for some respect when it comes to our contract.”

According to Wax, the union, which represents mechanics, yard workers, clerical, administrative and parks and recreation employees, among others, has been in negotiations with the city for nearly a year.

‘We’ve been told that the city cannot project out far enough in the future to give us a decent pay raise. We know that not to be true,” Wax said. “We have looked at the city’s finances and its reserves and we know that those have exceeded projections. Management got a three percent raise. Why is it we have to come down here and go through this? Why is that Pasadena, home of the Rose Bowl and the Rose Parade, cant afford to give us a decent pay raise?

“It would be different if they could prove to us that they don’t have the money,” Wax continued,  “but they have the money, but they don’t have the will. We’re asking the city to get involved and get us our raise. We don’t want to have to come down here and do this, we don’t want bad feelings.”

No settlements were reached in Monday’s closed door session, but Wax said he feels “optimistic.”

Get our daily Pasadena newspaper in your email box. Free.

Get all the latest Pasadena news, more than 10 fresh stories daily, 7 days a week at 7 a.m.

Make a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

 

 

 

buy ivermectin online
buy modafinil online
buy clomid online
buy ivermectin online