OAKLAND (KRON) — Thousands of Oakland city workers are still striking Friday morning after negotiations with the city went awry Thursday.
By 6:00 a.m., workers were already picketing in Oakland’s Frank Ogawa Plaza.
They are fighting for a new deal that would increase their pay by 4% the first year, and another 4% the second year.
Mayor Schaaf says she tried to compromise Thursday, offering to give them the first 4%. That equates to about $5 million from the city. The second increase would depend on how well the City of Oakland doing economically at the time, Schaaf said.The workers, however, did not accept.
“The agreement that we passed forward is fair to our workers,” Mayor Schaaf said. “It more than increases their wages by the cost of living. But equally as important, it is fair to our residents,” she said.
Several city services are not being provided as a result of the strikes.
Emergency services are not impacted.
Workers will now enter the fifth day of the strike.
Here is a statement from the union:
SEIU 1021, Representing 2,000 Striking City of Oakland Workers Requests Monday Mediation with City Negotiators
3,000 Workers to Enter Day 5 of Strike
Oakland, CA – This evening, the City of Oakland workers contacted the City to identify a mediator to assist the Union and the City in reaching an agreement. City workers have been on strike protesting Oakland’s unfair labor practice strikes since Tuesday, December 5.
“We reached out to City Negotiators to select a mutually agreeable mediator, despite the Mayor’s decision to prematurely declare impasse in negotiations,” said Rob Szykowny, Chief Negotiator for Oakland’s largest union SEIU 1021, “but City workers are committed to pursuing every avenue to ensure that Mayor Schaaf addresses the challenges facing Oakland workers and families. From homeless encampment abatement to stopping the abuse of temporary, part-time workers in our libraries, parks and rec, and senior centers, the City and the Union have problems that have to be solved together.”
SEIU 1021 is awaiting a response from City Negotiators.
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