SEIU members urge council to prioritize cost‑of‑living adjustments as labor talks continue

At the June 1 meeting several SEIU members addressing the council urged faster progress in labor negotiations and asked the council to give priority to cost‑of‑living adjustments and healthcare cost mitigation.

Anna Hernandez, identified as part of the SEIU negotiating team, said members have heard the city cite budget issues but noted pay stagnation. “The consumer price index increased by 3.7% this year and stagnation cannot be the story for city employees,” Hernandez said. She described frontline city workers as essential and urged council members to meet with union members as negotiations continue.

Theo Provenio, a 13‑year lead water operator and SEIU steward, told the council the city’s 0% cost‑of‑living offer amounts to a pay cut for employees who face rising housing and household costs. “A zero% offer is not a freeze. It is a pay cut,” Provenio said.

City Manager James Vega told members during the public‑comment period that negotiations had only recently begun and staff would continue to work with SEIU to try to find solutions in a challenging fiscal environment. The council did not take action on compensation at the meeting; labor negotiations had been the subject of a pre‑meeting closed session per Government Code section 54957.6.

What happens next: closed‑session bargaining continues and the council asked staff to keep negotiating. SEIU’s remarks in public will be part of the council record; any formal proposals or settlements must be returned to the council for action as required by law.