Coalition of LA City Unions

Budget Signed but Not Complete; Council Plows on with Illegal Furloughs: The Time for Action is Now

June 4, 2009

“Our work on this budget is far from complete.”

– Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in letter
to Council upon signing Budget.

Every Voice Counts – Spread the Word

The Mayor signed the Budget on Tuesday, leaving a hole equivalent to nearly 2,000 layoffs AND 37 furlough days (a 14% cut in pay and services).

Yesterday, City Council moved aggressively to unilaterally implement furloughs. Their furlough plan would apply to ALL civilian employees, regardless of duties or funding source, on a schedule set by the Council (for most departments, shutting down every other Friday).

The Coalition maintains that unilateral furloughs are an illegal change in pay and hours as well as ill-advised budgeting. Union lawyers have filed Unfair Labor Practice charges at the ERB and are investigating other legal challenges.

We need to keep up pressure. Our persistence has helped bring the Mayor back to the bargaining table (thank you, Dog Team). We need to keep the heat on the City Council as well.

The City Coalition Fights for a Better Way for LA

The Coalition will be marching in the streets and fighting in the legal arena for a "Better Way for LA".

Tuesday, June 9:
March to City Hall and Pack Council Chambers

9 a.m. – Meet for March at at the plaza on Hill Street between Temple and 1st.
10 a.m. – City Council opens; City workers will comment on the impact of a 10% cut in services and on families.

Legal Actions

The Coalition continues to maintain that these furloughs are illegal and have taken legal action to prevent them:

1. On May 13, City Coalition lawyers filed an Unfair Employee Relations Practice charge and asked for an expedited hearing, and an order for the City to "make employees whole for wages, benefits and other compensation lost as a result of the City's unilateral changes" paid with interest.

2. On May 28, City Coalition lawyers sent a letter to the CAO challenging the City's declaration of a fiscal emergency, its justification for imposing furloughs: "The City lacks the authority to slash the wages and hours of its employees unilaterally."

The Coalition will continue to pursue unfair charges, court injunctions, and all legal means to prevent implementation of mandatory furloughs.

Direct Actions

City workers are not leaving the fight solely to the lawyers. They're taking direct action.

1. Hundreds of members have held worksite meetings to call the Mayor and remind him of his commitment to early retirements over layoffs.

2. Hundreds of members have e-mailed the Mayor (via angie.espinoza@lacity.org) to say: "We need an LA Recovery Plan centered on early retirements that minimizes service cuts and helps turn around the local economy, not furloughs, wage cuts and layoffs that will devastate families and communities. Together we can get back to a Better Way for LA that works for everybody--business, families and residents."

3. The "Dog Team" follows the Mayor daily on his busy schedule of public appearances. Twice in the last few days the Mayor has told the Dog Team that he supports early retirements, but that message is not making it to his staff at the bargaining table, who continue to push half-measures and budget band-aids instead of a real recovery plan. Email jason.elias@seiu721.org to join a dog team event.

4. The Budget Crisis Response Team will meet in front of the Mayor's Mansion on Saturday, June 6 from 9am-11am to talk about how service cuts will affect residents and how layoffs and wage cuts will affect city workers struggling to keep their families afloat during the economic downturn.

5. On Tuesday, June 9 at 9am, City workers will take a furlough day to march on City Hall and remind Council of the pledge eight of its members took to support early retirements over layoffs.