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City Workers Take Unity Break to Protest Understaffing
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You can’t say that city workers don’t love Oakland. And we show it through our dedication. We’re so busy and overworked that many of us are skipping our breaks.
We’re staying past counter hours, trying to help Oakland residents.
To draw attention to our understaffing crisis,over one hundred Local 21 and SEIU 1021 members took a Unity Break at 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, where the public interacts the most with city workers.
The San Francisco Chronicle covered our Unity Break; you can read the coverage here!
We took up the entire lobby area as we chanted “Staff City Services!” and unfurled a “City Workers Love Oakland!” banner from the second floor.
“Oakland City workers know that we can get more fairly compensated elsewhere. The only reason I want to be here is because I want to work for this town. That’s the kind of dedication that needs to be fairly compensated!” said Local 21 member Michele Morris to a roaring crowd in blue and purple shirts.
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In Your Paycheck: 1% Retroactive Payment
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 During the last contract, we fought for and won an additional 1% wage increase that would go into effect in 2019 if City revenue grew by an agreed upon amount. Because of strong revenue growth, on June 14, the City implemented the 1% increase. This week, Local 21 members should receive an additional “Retro” payment in their paycheck to make the 1% increase retroactive to the first pay period after January 1.
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Local 21 Establishes
Strike Hardship Fund
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 While we continue to make every effort to reach a fair contract without a strike, last week, the Local 21 Executive Committee established a temporary strike hardship fund to assist Oakland city workers. If a strike takes place, Local 21 members who participate in a strike and experience financial hardship would be able to apply for funds in the amount of $50 per strike day.
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The neutral factfinder has set dates for our factfinding hearing, which is the next step in the bargaining process. The hearing will take place on Friday September 27, Monday September 30, and Monday October 7.
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