Urgent Update: Our Fight Against Layoffs and Budget Cuts
We are in a critical fight to protect jobs and public services in San Jose. The City’s $60 million budget shortfall threatens not only vacant positions but active employees and the vital services our community relies on. We have only weeks to ensure this budget does not include layoffs or additional cuts to City services.
What MEF-AFSCME Local 101 Is Doing to Fight Back
We are working in coalition with IFPTE Local 21 and Firefighters Union Local 230, which has been actively working to prevent layoffs and find responsible budget solutions:
✅ Regular Meetings with the Mayor’s Office – We’ve established direct discussions with the Mayor and his budget team to push for alternatives to layoffs.
✅ Exposing Flawed Cost-Saving Measures – The City administration has unilaterally and, in violation of our MOA, cut hours for some employees in a rushed attempt to save money. We are fighting back using the grievance and arbitration procedures and filing charges with the State Public Employees Relations Board (PERB).
✅ Identifying Real Savings – We have already identified millions in potential savings the City could use, including:
$10 million in savings from hiring freezes and expenditure cuts (which came at the cost of our members being forced to do more with less).
Millions in encumbrances within City contracts that could be freed up if properly accounted for.
✅ Pushing for Smarter Budget Choices – We are calling on the City to:
Tap into the $61M Budget Stabilization Reserve
Use the $14M Salaries and Benefits Reserve
Increase the assumed vacancy rate from 2% to 5% – This simple adjustment would fully resolve the City’s budget crisis and put San Jose in a stronger position to hire and retain staff.
Here is What We Need From You
🔹 Sign the Pledge
If you haven’t yet, sign the pledge to stand against layoffs and service cuts. The more workers who pledge to fight back, the stronger our message will be.
📌 https://forms.gle/L4QdyGK56VyEnadWA
🔹 RSVP and Attend a Rally in the Coming Weeks
We’ve scheduled rallies alongside key budget announcements—and we need all hands on deck. If we stay silent, those pushing for job cuts will win. We must be loud and make sure our community understands that cuts to city services hurt everyone. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeHzn--0PJtjG-N4biBgZ3c4e5x7tVLYdFk7RfMw0r5JXqR3w/viewform
🔹 Submit Your Budget Waste Stories
The Mayor has asked the unions directly for budget savings ideas from frontline employees. We know our members see wasteful spending every day—things the City should cut before considering layoffs. If you’ve witnessed significant inefficiencies, report them to us so we can bring them directly to City Hall.
📌 Respond to this email with a detailed overview of the Waste or Inefficiency you see in your job. Responses can be kept confidential.
This is a fight for our jobs, our families, and the future of San Jose. We will not let the City balance its budget on the backs of workers. Together, we will win—but only if we stand up and fight back.
